Pharyngeal carriage of group A streptococci in school children in Chennai.
OBJECTIVE
Asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage of group A streptococci (GAS) in children may lead to spread of respiratory infections in the community. Data on healthy GAS carriers in the community are therefore important. We carried out this preliminary study to screen the school children from various parts of Chennai city, south India to detect pharyngeal carriage of GAS.


METHODS
Throat swabs were collected from 1,173 school children aged 5 to 17 yr from different locations in Chennai. The isolates of beta haemolytic streptococci were serogrouped by agglutination tests using specific antisera.


RESULTS
Beta haemolytic streptococci were isolated from 16.3 per cent of 1,102 asymptomatic children. 71 children of the study group had untreated tonsillitis positive for beta haemolytic streptococci. The percentage of asymptomatic GAS carriers was 8.4 per cent.


CONCLUSIONS
The high carriage rate of beta haemolytic streptococci seen in children poses a threat to the community and should be checked. Regular screening needs to be done in various parts of the country.
Lloyd
Charmaine A C
CA
Department of Microbiology, Dr A L Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chennai, India.
Jacob
Swarna E
SE
Menon
Thangam
T
D000293:Adolescent; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*