SULFADIAZINE AND PENICILLIN FOR HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCUS INFECTIONS OF THE UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT

Abstract

ACUTE infections of the upper respiratory tract due to hemolytic streptococci, while constituting an important health problem in a civilian population, become accentuated during the time of war. This applies particularly to groups of military personnel during the early training period. Several reports have recorded attempts to control hemolytic streptococcus infections in military personnel, and the efforts have not been without some success. 1 The use of the sulfonamide compounds in the treatment of streptococcic infections of the upper respiratory tract has resulted in conflicting reports concerning the effectiveness of these drugs. 2 Until the present investigation was initiated and completed, no well controlled studies of penicillin in the therapy of infections of the upper respiratory tract, including scarlet fever, had appeared. Plummer and colleagues 3 have recorded the results of penicillin therapy in 28 cases of acute pharyngitis-tonsillitis due to group A hemolytic streptococci. No Patients with scarlet fever were treated. There