Preventing Streptococcal Infections: A Comprehensive Guide

Streptococcal infections, caused by bacterium in the Streptococcus genus, usually Streptococcus pyogenes, is one of the most common pathogens encountered in clinical practice, especially pediatrics. Streptococcus causes a variety of infections with at least two potentially serious complications: glomerulonephritis and rheumatic fever. It also has become a common cause of Toxic Shock Syndrome. The following steps will show how to prevent streptococcal infections.

Instructions

• 1

  Employ strict hygiene measures to prevent intrafamily spread of streptococcal infections. This is especially important in the case of Streptococcus because of its increasing resistance to antibiotics.

• 2

  Begin long-term therapy with antibiotics in patients with a history of rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease to prevent streptococcal infections. The recommended dosage is 1.2 million IU of benzathine penicillin G injected every 3 to 4 weeks, 250 mg of penicillin V orally twice a day or 0.5 to 1 g of sulfadiazine a day.

• 3

  Obtain cultures from family members of a patient with a staphylococcal infection when there is a family history of rheumatic fever or the patient has glomerulonephritis. This strategy is recommended by some authorities but its benefits have not been clearly established.

• 4

  Treat all household contacts of a patient with glomerulonephritis with empirical antibiotic therapy. Some experts recommend initiating treatment immediately without waiting for culture results because of the devastating nature of this infection.

• 5

  Stay current on the development of a streptococcal vaccine. This is proving to be a challenge because an effective vaccine would need to protect against multiple serotypes and the antibodies caused by the vaccine could precipitate rheumatic fever.