THE INCIDENCE AND ROLE OF ACTINOMYCES IN RECURRENT ACUTE TONSILLITIS

Although actinomyces has been identified in between 1.77% and 37% of r esected tonsils1,2 its possible role in recurrent acute tonsillitis ha s received little attention. A histological and bacteriological study of 129 pairs of tonsils from patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis showed actinomyces to be present in 29.5%. The organism, however, was also present in 40% of tonsils from 10 patients with no history of to nsillar disease. In neither of these groups was there any specific evi dence of tissue reaction to actinomyces nor was there a male preponder ance as in clinical actinomycosis. The presence of actinomyces in the tonsil was not favoured by the concurrence of beta-lactamase producing bacteria. These data indicate that actinomyces does not have a causal role in recurrent acute tonsillitis.