Abstract

Physicians examined 1,159 patients for pharyngitis during two one-year periods in the Netherlands. Fifty-four percent harbored Group A streptococci in their throats; less than 18 % of these were probable carriers of streptococci as judged by the grade of positivity of the throat swab. Forty-one percent of the patients were treated with penicillin and the others with either sulfonamides, bismuth, or aspirin. About half of the patients took some sort of medication on their own and waited awhile before they consulted a physician. Aspirin was taken most often by patients with streptococcal pharyngitis and/or fever. Streptococci were efficiently eradicated from the throat only by penicillin. Penicillin did not eradicate signs and symptoms of pharyngitis better than the other drugs. Of the 29 patients with rheumatic fever or acute glomerulonephritis, only four were seen for their antecedent pharyngitis. Sixteen others had a history of sore throat but did not consider this important enough to seek medical care.

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