title: The diagnostic value of symptoms and signs in acute tonsillitis in children over the age of 10 and in adults.
abstract: 267 outpatients with acute tonsillitis were studied with regard to clinical signs and symptoms and presence of beta-hemolytic streptococci. Beta-hemolytic streptococci were found in 169 patients (63%), compared to 6/64 healthy controls (9%). Of the tonsillitis patients with beta-hemolytic streptococci, 80% harboured group A and 20% groups C and G. Five out of 6 controls had group C and G streptococci. Eight clinical signs and symptoms of acute tonsillitis were rated on a 10-point scale. A correlation was found between redness in the oropharynx and on the tonsils and positive culture for beta-hemolytic streptococci group A. The total WBC count, polymorphonuclear leucocytes and ratio of polymorphonuclear to mononuclear leucocytes were strongly correlated to a positive culture for streptococci group A. Groups C and G did not show these correlations. The study stresses the importance of quantitative culture technique and the value of this for diagnosis in the acute ill patient with tonsillitis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D012621:Seasons; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission