Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Vol 40, 725-728, Copyright © 1997 by The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
I Brook and PA Foote
The effect on the tonsillar bacterial flora of antimicrobial therapy with
penicillin or a second-generation cephalosporin (cefprozil) was studied.
Sixty children scheduled for elective tonsillectomy because of recurrent
group A beta-haemolytic streptococcal tonsillitis participated in a
prospective randomized study that divided them into three groups. One group
received no therapy, and the others were given either penicillin or
cefprozil for 10 days prior to surgery. The core of the patients' tonsils
was cultured for aerobic bacteria. Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci
(GABHS) were isolated from 15/20 (75%) of untreated, 11/20 (55%) of
penicillin, and 2/20 (10%) of the cefprozil group (P < 0.001).
Thirty-two beta-lactamase-producing bacteria were recovered from 19/20
(95%) of untreated, 33 from 17/20 (85%) treated with penicillin and six
from 4/20 (20%) treated with cefprozil (P < 0.01). Alpha-haemolytic
streptococci (AHS) inhibiting GABHS were less often isolated from patients
treated with penicillin. These data illustrate the ability of a
second-generation cephalosporin to eradicate GABHs, as well as
beta-lactamase-producing bacteria, while preserving AHS.
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Effect of penicillin or cefprozil therapy on tonsillar flora
Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
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