Spectrum of beta-haemolytic streptococcal soft tissue infections at a tertiary care hospital of north india.
OBJECTIVE
An increase in the incidence of invasive beta haemolytic streptococcal infections has been observed in many Western countries. However, the role of beta-haemolytic streptococci in soft tissue infections is not well documented in developing countries. A retrospective study was carried out to review the spectrum of soft tissue infections caused by beta-haemolytic streptococci (betaHS) in a tertiary care hospital of north India.


METHODS
The laboratory records of all patients with betaHS isolated from soft tissues between January 1996 and December 2000 were reviewed. Detailed clinical, laboratory and demographic data were recorded for all patients.


RESULTS
A total of 39288 samples from soft tissue infections were received in the bacteriology laboratory for bacterial culture during the study period. betaHS were recovered from 205 samples. Of these, 56 per cent isolates were obtained from patients of suspected osteomyelitis. A seasonal pattern was observed with maximum isolation occuring in the winter months. Group A was the commonest isolate (75%), followed by group B Streptococcus (11%). Group C and G betaHS together accounted for about 3 per cent of all the isolates. All the isolates were sensitive to penicillin.


CONCLUSIONS
Soft tissue infections due to betaHS are common in our country. Group A streptococci were encountered most frequently with these infections though other groups of betaHS also contributed substantially. Since these infections are life threatening, there is a need to develop preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against betaHS.
Mathur
Purva
P
Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
Kapil
Arti
A
Das
Bimal
B
Dhawan
Benu
B
Dwivedi
S N
SN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C071495:streptococcal group B hemolysin