Respiratory tract infections at a community care centre--with emphasis on group A streptococci

Antibiotics were prescribed for 60% of 1538 patients who consulted a community care centre due to respiratory tract infections. Potential respiratory tract pathogens (betahaemolytic streptococci group A, C, G, Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococci) were isolated from almost half (46%) of the patients. The prescribing of antibiotics was correlated to the isolation of potentially pathogenic bacteria, except for patients with pharyngitis, sinusitis and bronchitis. Betahaemolytic streptococci group A were isolated from 14% of the patients. Recurrence of group A streptococcal infection occurred within 3 months in 24% of patients harbouring such bacteria at the first visit. Poststreptococcal subclinical acute glomerulonephritis (AGN) was diagnosed in 9 (4%) of 220 patients with group A streptococci. The patients with AGN had been treated with antibiotics significantly later than patients without signs of AGN.