Related Experiment Videos
Rapid symptomatic relief of streptococcal pharyngitis in children
Insights
A single intramuscular injection of penicillin G benzathine/penicillin G procaine effectively treated pediatric pharyngitis caused by streptococcus group A. This treatment rapidly improved symptoms and ensured complete bacterial eradication, offering a solution to compliance issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Pharyngitis is a common childhood illness, often caused by Streptococcus group A.
- Effective antibiotic treatment is crucial to prevent complications and reduce transmission.
- Ensuring patient compliance with oral antibiotic regimens can be challenging in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single intramuscular injection of penicillin G benzathine/penicillin G procaine for treating streptococcal pharyngitis in children.
- To assess the impact of this treatment on clinical symptoms and bacterial eradication.
- To determine the incidence of adverse reactions and compare them to potential compliance benefits.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter study involving sixty children aged 3-14 years with confirmed Streptococcus group A pharyngitis.
- Treatment administered via a single intramuscular injection of penicillin G benzathine/penicillin G procaine.
- Follow-up assessments at 48 hours and approximately 10 days post-injection to monitor clinical signs, symptoms, and bacterial cultures.
Main Results:
- Within 48 hours, all 60 children had negative bacterial cultures, and mean body temperature decreased significantly (P < 0.05).
- At 48 hours, 77% of children were clinically cured, and 23% improved, with major symptoms resolving in nearly all.
- Minor, injection-related adverse events were observed in a small percentage of children, with no significant drug-related issues. All children were clinically and bacteriologically cured by day 10.
Conclusions:
- A single intramuscular injection of penicillin G benzathine/penicillin G procaine is a safe and highly effective treatment for pediatric streptococcal pharyngitis.
- This injectable formulation eliminates concerns regarding patient compliance associated with oral antibiotic therapy.
- The rapid clinical improvement and high cure rates support its use as a primary treatment option.
Abstract:
Sixty 3- to 14-year-old outpatients with positive streptococcal group A bacterial cultures and clinical signs and symptoms of pharyngitis were treated with a single intramuscular (IM) injection of penicillin G benzathine/penicillin G procaine in a multicenter study. At the first follow-up visit, usually within 48 hours of the injection, 60 children had negative cultures, and the mean body temperature had decreased from 100.2 +/- 1.6 degrees F to 98.5 +/- 0.5 degree F (P less than 0.05). At this time, the investigators rated 77% of the children clinically cured and the remaining 23% improved; major signs and symptoms (sore throat, difficulty swallowing, lethargy, and cervical node enlargement and tenderness) had disappeared in nearly all of the children. Initial injection site pain, noted in only 15% of the children 48 hours later, probably was secondary to the injection and not drug related. Most other adverse reactions (in seven children) also were injection related, were mild or moderate, and required no countermeasures. At the second follow-up visit approximately 10 days after injection, all children were considered clinically and bacteriologically cured. Thus, the combination of IM benzathine and procaine penicillin not only is safe and effective but eliminates compliance concerns.