Group A Streptococcal Infections of the Skin and Pharynx

Abstract

(Second of Two Parts)PharyngitisStreptococcal pharyngitis is a self-limited disease whose suppurative complications have been rare since the availability of antibiotics. In contrast, approximately 100,000 new cases of acute rheumatic fever occur each year.⁷⁸ Rheumatic fever primarily afflicts those living in crowded cities under substandard conditions. Its infrequent occurrence in private practice is not only an inaccurate guide to its overall incidence but also an observation that preceded the discovery of penicillin.⁷⁸ EpidemiologyGroup A streptococci causing pharyngitis are spread by large airborne droplets. The acquisition rate in military barracks is inversely proportional to the distance between the bed . . .