Short-course therapy with cefaclor for treatment of streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis

Short-course treatments for streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis with oral cep halosporins or macrolides have resulted in a similar bacteriological and cl inical cure rate and better compliance compared with the conventional 10-da y course. One hundred and thirty eight of 420 recruited patients had a posi tive culture for Streptococcus pyogenes and were randomly assigned to recei ve cefaclor (25 mg/kg/bid) for a 5-day (70 patients) or 10-day (68 patients ) course. Patients were assessed clinically and bacteriologically 2-3 days after completing the course and followed up after 20-30 days, All 420 recru ited patients belonged to a population of 2800 children who had been previo usly screened for a streptococcal carrier state to exclude carriers from fi nal evaluation. Clinical cure and bacterial eradication was recorded in 92. 8 and 92.6%, of patients in groups A and B, respectively, Therefore, short- course therapy with cefaclor may offer an effective alternative treatment t o conventional regimens, with potential for better compliance. (C) 2001 Els evier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights re served.