Abstract
Benzathine penicillin (BP) is considered to be the most effective therapy for removal of Streptococcus (S.) pyogenes from the pharynx. The following study was undertaken to determine whether oral clindamycin (CL) was equally effective for this purpose. This possibility was suggested by published observations made in private practice in which CL was compared with other oral antibiotics.
939 clinic patients with throat cultures positive for S. pyogenes were randomly selected for treatment with intramuscular BP, oral CL or oral phenoxymethyl penicillin (PMP). 621 returned for a follow-up culture and brief history on at least one scheduled visit. 307 returned for all scheduled visits at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after initiation of therapy.
Data from the first 2 follow-up cultures indicate that CL and BP had similar failure rates (8% and 9% resp.) and that PMP was less efficacious than either of the other 2 antibiotics (p<.01). Late cultures indicate that CL is not as efficient as BP or PMP in preventing recurrences. This latter finding differs from all others in the literature, is not due to age, sex, weight, quantity of S. pyogenes in original culture or dosage of CL, and is unexplained.
Oral CL is effective in removing S. pyogenes from the pharynx and may be as effective as BP.
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Chernack, W., Leidy, G., Asnes, R. et al. CLINDAMYCIN EFFECTIVE IN THERAPY OF STREPTOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS. Pediatr Res 8, 422 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00494
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00494
