title: [Clinical criteria to diagnosing of streptococcal pharyngitis in young adult patients].
abstract: Most sore throat is due to viral upper respiratory tract infections, whereas the frequency of antibiotic use in adult patients is about 73%. We evaluate the clinical guidelines (approved by the CDC) about appropriate antibiotic use for acute pharyngitis in young adults. We observe a low prevalence (3,2%) of group A beta haemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) in a population of university students. Minimizing unnecessary antimicrobial therapy in this setting is highly desirable. Use of clinical criteria (Centor algorithm) does indeed identify patients whose risk for GABHS infection is so low that microbiological testing or antibiotic treatment is unnecessary.
authors.affiliation: Clinica delle Malattie Infettive, Università, Perugia. gvldesocio@libero.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe Vittorio Luigi
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: De Socio
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izzo
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Damiani
authors.forename: Maria Bruna
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Pasticci
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baldelli
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cordoni
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stagni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes