Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2001 Nov;8(2):206-212. 10.14776/kjpid.2001.8.2.206.

Clinical and Bacteriologic Efficacy of Cefprozil on Pharyngitis and Pharyngotonsilitis caused by Group A Beta Hemolytic Streptococci in Children

• Kim MW
• Ahn YM
• Jang SH
• Ma SH
• Ahn BM
• Kim JD
• Lee JK
• Kim ML
• Chang JK
• Park JY
• Bae JW
• Cha SH

• KMID: 2440187
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.2001.8.2.206

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical and bacteriologic efficacy and safety of Cefprozil in acute pharyngitis and pharyngotonsilitis caused by Group A beta hemolytic streptococci in pediatric patients.
METHODS
Any patient of 3 to 14 age who visited the hospitals enrolled in this study with the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis or pharyngotonsilitis since July, 2000 to March, 2001, was taken throat culture and given Cefprozil(15 mg/kg/day, in two divided doses) for 10 days. 138 patients of whom showed positive culture results were followed up for the signs and symptoms during the treatment to determine clinical efficacy. Any undesirable effect was reported to determine the safety of the drug. Follow up cultures were done at the end of the study and bacteriologic efficacy was determined.
RESULTS
138 of 256 patients who visited the hospitals with the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis or pharyngotonsilitis showed positive growth on throat culture. Mean age of the patients was 6.1±2.5 and males and females were equally numbered. 129 of them complained fever on the first visit and 112(86.6%) of them were improved at the end of the study. Cervical lymphadenitis was seen in 58 patients and 44(75.9%) of them improved at the end of the study. Exudative pharyngitis was seen in 96 patients and 81(84.3%) of them improved. The overall clinical effcacy based on this results showed that 110(79.7%) of the patients were cured and 17(12.3%) of them improved. On the cultures and bacteriologic efficacy, 24.6% of them showed documented eradication after treatment and 62.3% of them showed presumptive eradication. Sensitivity test was done by agar dilution method and Cefprozil showed 100% sensitivity. Erythromycin, Clarithromycin and azithromycin showed 87%, 85.6 %, 90.6% sensitivity, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Cefprozil is proved to be effective in controlling group A streptococcal pharyngitis and pharyngotonsilitis in children and showed good sensitivity. Cefprozil can be used as an effective oral cephalosporin in the patients showing penicillin hypersensitivity or patients who other drugs have failed.Z

Keyword

Streptococcus pyogens; Pharyngitis; Tonsilitis; Treatment

MeSH Terms

Agar
Azithromycin
Child*
Clarithromycin
Erythromycin
Female
Fever
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Lymphadenitis
Male
Methods
Penicillins
Pharyngitis*
Pharynx
Treatment Outcome
Agar
Azithromycin
Clarithromycin
Erythromycin
Penicillins