Association of group C beta-hemolytic streptococci with endemic pharyngitis among college students.
Throat cultures were performed throughout 2 school years to determine whether non-group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (NGA BHS) could be isolated more frequently in 232 college students who had symptomatic pharyngitis than from 198 age-matched controls with noninfectious problems. Duplicate throat swabs were inoculated onto plates that contained sheep blood agar, one plate being incubated in a 5% CO2 atmosphere and the other in an anaerobic environment. The BHS were grouped using latex agglutination. Among the NGA BHS, only those from group C were isolated significantly more often among the patients compared with the controls (26% vs 11%). Quantitative colony counts of isolates of group C BHS were generally higher among patients than controls. Patients with group C BHS had fever, exudative tonsillitis, and anterior cervical adenopathy significantly more frequently than did patients who had throat cultures that were negative for group C BHS. Group C BHS were epidemiologically associated with endemic pharyngitis in this college student population.
Turner
J C
JC
Thomson Student Health Center, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208.
Hayden
G F
GF
Kiselica
D
D
Lohr
J
J
Fishburne
C F
CF
Murren
D
D
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014768:Virginia