RESUMO
Background: Group A beta hemolytic streptococci [GABHS] is a potentially pathogenic bacteria which causes various infections among children and adults. For over 60 years, penicillin has been used as the drug of choice for treatment of infections caused by this bacterium. Yet, there is no published article on the resistance of this bacterium to penicillin. However, some species of this family such as enterococci are highly resistant to this antibiotic
Materials and Methods: In the present investigation, 125 isolates of GABHS isolated from patients with pharyngitis, sinusitis and burn infections were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity by standard methods of disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] tests using penicillin, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, cephalothin, erythromycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol
Results: All isolates of GABHS [100%] were sensitive to penicillin [MIC: 0.002- 0.032 microgr/ml] and vancomycin [MIC: 0.125-2 microgr/ml]. Other sensitivity rates included: cephalothin 97.6% [MIC: 0.01-8 microgr/ml], chloramphenicol 88.8% [MIC: 1-32 microgr/ml], erythromycin 87.2% [MIC: 0.032-64 microgr/ml], tetracycline 75.2% [MIC: 0.125-128 microgr/ml] and ciprofloxacin 92.8% [MIC: 0.125-4 microgr/ml]
Conclusion: Penicillin is still the drug of choice for treatment of GABHS infections. Patients allergic to penicillin are recommended to use erythromycin or other macrolides