Background: Rheumatic fever and Rheumatic heart disease continue to be major problems in most developing countries including India where prevalence rate is 4-6/1000 children per year. Clinical presentations of streptococcal and non streptococcal pharyngitis overlap broadly, so laboratory diagnosis is required to support clinical diagnosis, minimise the potential adverse effect of inappropriate antimicrobial therapy and to prevent RF/RHD.

Objective: To isolate and determine the prevalence of Group A Streptococci in symptomatic children and detect their antibiotic sensitivity pattern.

Materials and Methods: Throat swabs from 100 symptomatic children were collected and cultured on 5% sheep blood agar. Isolated beta haemolytic colonies were identified by conventional techniques as Group A Streptococci and was confirmed by Streptex Kit. Then DNA was extracted and molecular weight confirmed with standards, thus determining the prevalence rate of 6%. Surface M Protein was extracted and molecular weight analysed using SDS PAGE showing different M Protein types. Antibiotic susceptibility was done to show the sensitivity to penicillin and to macrolides like Erythromycin.

Conclusion: Study revealed prevalence of Group A Streptococci in only 6% of symptomatic children. Protein analysis suggests the existence of more than one M type responsible for infection. None of the isolates showed Erythromycin resistance.

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Dr Preetha Rajan

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Microbiology

Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram

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