From the Research
Treatment for Group C beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS) pharyngitis
There is no evidence of Group C beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS) in the provided studies, the studies are about Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS). However, the treatment for GABHS pharyngitis can be summarized as follows:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association recommend penicillin as first-line therapy for GABHS infections 1
- Erythromycin is recommended for those allergic to penicillin 1
- Cephalosporins or azithromycin are preferred following penicillin treatment failures in selected patients as first-line therapy 1
- The recommended treatment duration with penicillin is 10 days to optimize cure in GABHS infections 1
- A 5-day regimen is possible and approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for cefpodoxime (a cephalosporin) and azithromycin (a macrolide) 1, 2
Antibiotic Options
Some key points about antibiotic options for GABHS pharyngitis are:
- Penicillin V is the recommended first-line therapy for streptococcal pharyngitis 2
- Cephalosporins may provide somewhat higher bacteriologic eradication rates than penicillin V 2
- Macrolides can be used as an alternative to penicillin, but resistance has been identified in some geographic regions 2
- Cefdinir and cefpodoxime proxetil are approved for use in a 5-day dosing schedule, which may increase adherence to the full course of therapy 2
Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines
Some key points about diagnosis and treatment guidelines for GABHS pharyngitis are:
- Clinical guidelines developed by professional associations can help medical professionals choose among available techniques to diagnose strep throat 3
- The use of throat cultures and/or rapid GABHS detection tests in the office is strongly advocated to reduce antibiotic overprescribing substantially 1
- Treatment for GABHS using analgesics, antipyretics, and antibiotics seeks to provide symptom relief, shorten the duration of illness, prevent nonsuppurative and suppurative complications, and decrease the risk of contagion, while minimizing the unnecessary use of antibiotics 3