Local treatment options for sore throat in children

Sore throat is a common complaint among children and adults. In addition to infection, causes of sore throat include non-infectious pathological conditions. Among possible causes are viruses, bacteria, fungal flora. Identification of etiology significantly affects the disease management. The prescription of systemic antimicrobial agents is justified, if bacterial etiology is confirmed or a child develops complications; the presence of β-hemolytic streptococcus is an absolute indication for antibiotic therapy. Increasingly greater attention is now paid to topical agents in the treatment of bacterial tonsillopharyngitis, in particular, to the drugs that combine the antiseptic and antibiotic properties. The article provides data on the use of a combination drug containing antibacterial substance gramicidin S and antiseptic component cetylpyridinium chloride that proved its efficacy, safety, and low risk of side effects in pediatric and adult patient population. The authors present their own clinical observations of the successful use of this combination drug in paediatric practice.Clinical case 1. A 15-year-old child K. with a polyvalent drug allergy to antibacterial drugs. Moderately grave condition, subfebrile temperature 37.8 oC; submandibular lymph nodes increased up to 2.0 cm with expressed tenderness; preliminary diagnosis is acute tonsillopharyngitis; Infectious mononucleosis?». Pharyngoscopy showed bright hyperemia of edematous mucous membrane, hyperemia of enlarged palatine tonsils, visualized white plaque; single vesicular rashes on the anterior palatine arches and uvula. The patient received active etiotropic, pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy. Instead of systemic antibacterial therapy, a combination drug based on gramicidin S and antiseptic component cetylpyridinium chloride was chosen. The patient was discharged from the hospital on Day 10 of hospitalization, the child had no complaints, the general condition returned to normal.Clinical case 2. A 6-year-old child was diagnosed with acute pharyngitis, degree II palatine tonsils hypertrophy, degree II nasopharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy, submandibular and cervical lymphadenitis. The laboratory test results showed absence of β-hemolytic streptococcus. The combination drug based on gramicidin S and antiseptic component cetylpyridinium chloride was prescribed, the pharyngotonsillitis symptoms disappeared on Day 7 of observation.Clinical observations demonstrate the possibility of using the combination drug for the complex treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis of any etiology, including those that develop in childhood