Seasonal benzathine penicillin G prophylaxis for recurrent streptococcal pharyngitis in children

WOS: 000074763400012PubMed ID: 9695301Background: To assess the efficacy of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) prophylaxis in recurrent streptococcal pharyngitis in children. Methods: One hundred and sixty children, aged 4-11 years, who experienced at least two episodes of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) pharyngitis during a 4-month observation period between September and December 1995 were randomly divided into two groups. During the following 4-month period between January and April 1996, 80 children received BPG 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 for 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 control group during the second 4-month period (16 vs 244 episodes, respectively, P < 0.001). BPG prophylaxis decreased streptococcal pharyngitis by 92% in the children in the study group, while the frequency of GABHS pharyngitis was unchanged in those in the control group during the second 4-month period compared with the first 4-month period. Conclusions: The data in the present study demonstrated that intramuscular BPG prophylaxis is very effective in preventing GABHS pharyngitis in children. it is recommended that it is used every 3 weeks in at least the fall-winter seasons in children susceptible to frequent GABHS pharyngitis