The prevalence of group a streptococci carriers among asymptomatic school children

The Group A Streptococci (GAS) cause several suppurative and nonsuppurative infections. GAS frequently gets colonized in the throat of asymptomatic school children. A preliminary study was conducted to identify the GAS carrier state in apparently healthy children who belonged to various schools which were located in and around the rural village, B.G.Nagara, Mandya Dist, Karnataka state, India.

Throat swabs were collected from 2000 asymptomatic school children who were aged 5-15 years. The beta haemolytic streptococci isolates were sero-grouped by agglutination tests by using specific antisera (HiStrep Latex Test, Hi-Media, Mumbai, India).

Out of the 44 (2.2%) beta haemolytic which were isolated, 38 (86.36%) were GAS, 5 (11.36%) were Group C Streptococci and one (2.27%) was Group G Streptococcus. Among the 38 GAS positive children, 24 (63.16%) were transient carriers, 10(26.32%) were recurrent carriers and 4 (10.52%) were chronic carriers. The GAS chronic carriers were of the age group of 9-12 years.

The present study showed the prevalence of GAS among the asymptomatic school children in this location. The chronic carriers were treated with azithromycin for 3 days. A bacteriological cure was confirmed by doing throat swab cultures at intervals of one month and four months after the treatment. Identification of the GAS carriers and treating them, not only prevents them from developing non -suppurative complications, but they also prevent the spread of GAS to their family members and other children.