Studio comparativo sul trattamento della faringotonsillite da Streptococcus pyogenes con cefaclor: 5 Giorni versus 10 giorni di terapia

Objectives: The treatment in the S. pyogenes pharyngotonsillitis is particularly useful to prevent organism complications and diffusion. Since 1951, the choice-treatment is ten day course of procaine-penicillin. The aim of the study was to evalue clinical and batteriological efficacy of cefaclor (40 mg/kg/die twice a day) for five days versus ten days course of S. pyogenes pharyngotonsillitis treatment. Methods: Two hundred seventy three children aged 2 to 12 years with S. pyogenes acute pharyngotonsillitis were enrolled in the study. Etiologic diagnosis with rapid antigen detection tests for S. pyogenes was performed in all cases. One hundred twenty nine children received 10 days course treatment. Results: After five days from the end of the therapy 119 (92.24%) children showed clinical improvement with negative rapid test; 4 (3.10%) children only clinical improvement with rapid test still positive; 6 (4.61%) children clinical failure with positive rapid test. One hundred and thirty children treated with cefaclor for 5 days showed clinical improvement with negative rapid test in 118 cases (90.7%), clinical improvement with rapid test still positive in 4 cases (3.7%) and clinical failure with positive rapid test in 8 cases (6.15%). Conclusions: No significative differences in the clinical and bacteriological efficacy were found between the two course treatments. Short term course treatment shows better tolerance and compliance.