A comparison of the efficacy of cefuroxime axetil and intramuscular benzathine penicillin for treating streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis

Throat cultures were performed on 297 children suspected of tonsillopharyng itis on clinical findings. Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (GABHS) wer e isolated from 86 patients (41 males/45 females) aged 6-15 (mean (SD) 7.8 (0.04)) years. They were randomly allocated to receive oral cefuroxime axet il for 10 days (group 1) or one dose of benzathine penicillin by intramuscu lar injection (group 2) and responses were evaluated 2 weeks later. Clinica l cure was observed in 95% of group 1 and 96% of group 2 and bacteriologica l cure in 86 and 84% of groups 1 and 2, respectively. Our results show that intramuscular benzathine penicillin remains an effective treatment for GAB HS and that oral cefuroxime axetil is also effective.