EXPERIMENTAL SORE THROAT

Abstract

EXPERIMENTAL SORE THROAT PRODUCED WITH SCARLET FEVER STREPTOCOCCI In 1921, we 1 reported the production of experimental sore throat in human volunteers by the inoculation of pure cultures of hemolytic streptococci isolated from early, acute cases of scarlet fever. The inoculations were made by swabbing pure cultures of the hemolytic streptococci over the tonsils and pharynx. In a series of thirty volunteers in which eighteen strains of streptococci were employed, twenty-three remained well after inoculation and seven developed sore throat. In most cases, the first symptoms appeared about forty-eight hours after inoculation. The onset was characterized by sore throat and general malaise, accompanied by a rise in temperature. There was acute swelling of the tonsils and reddening of the mucous membrane over the pharynx and tonsils. A polymorphonuclear leukocytosis was present in all cases. Enlargement of the submaxillary cervical lymph glands occurred in one, and typical follicular tonsillitis in another.