Group A streptococci in children with acute pharyngitis in Sousse, Tunisia

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a significant bacterial pathogen causing pharyngitis in children.
• Understanding the prevalence and circulating strains of GAS is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
• Limited data exists on GAS serotypes and biotypes in pediatric populations in North Africa.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Group A Streptococcus in children presenting with acute pharyngitis.
• To identify the distribution of GAS serotypes and biotypes among pediatric patients in Tunisia.

Main Methods:

• A 1-year prospective study conducted in two pediatric outpatient clinics in Sousse, Tunisia.
• Throat swabs collected from 474 patients with acute pharyngitis and 155 controls.
• Isolation, serotyping (M-protein typing), and biotyping of Group A Streptococcus strains.

Main Results:

• GAS was detected in 17.7% of patients with acute pharyngitis, significantly higher than in controls (9.0%).
• Fifteen different GAS serotypes were identified among 43 strains from patients; M75 (32.5%), M9 (14.0%), M76 (11.6%), and M12 (9.3%) were most common.
• The predominant biotypes were biotype 3 (n=14), biotype 2 (n=11), and biotype 1 (n=7).

Conclusions:

• Group A Streptococcus is a common cause of acute pharyngitis in Tunisian children.
• Serotype M75 is the predominant GAS serotype circulating in this pediatric population.
• The findings highlight the importance of local epidemiological surveillance of GAS strains.