SEASONAL BENZATHINE PENICILLIN-G PROPHYLAXIS FOR RECURRENT STREPTOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS IN CHILDREN

Background: To assess the efficacy of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) pr ophylaxis in recurrent streptococcal pharyngitis in children. Methods: One hundred and sixty children, aged 4-11 years, who experienced at l east two episodes of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) phar yngitis during a 4-month observation period between September and Dece mber 1995 were randomly divided into two groups. During the following 4-month period between January and April 1996, 80 children received BP G prophylaxis every 3 weeks as a single intramuscular injection of 1.2 million units for a body weight,greater than 27 kg and a half dose fo r 27 kg or less. Eighty children were accepted as a control group and were not given BPG prophylaxis. Results: The children in the BPG group experienced significantly less GABHS pharyngitis than those in the co ntrol group during the second 4-month period (16 vs 244 episodes, resp ectively, P < 0.001). BPG prophylaxis decreased streptococcal pharyngi tis by 92% in the children in the study group, while the frequency of GABHS pharyngitis was unchanged in those in the control group during t he second 4-month period compared with the first 4-month period. Concl usions: The data in the present study demonstrated that intramuscular BPG prophylaxis is very effective in preventing GABHS pharyngitis in c hildren. it is recommended that it is used every 3 weeks in at least t he fall-winter seasons in children susceptible to frequent GABHS phary ngitis.