Correlation between the surface culture and core culture from patients with chronic tonsillitis

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial therapy for chronic tonsillar infections is one of the commonest practices in everyday work. For proper reliable cures the most probable infecting organisms must be identified. The aim of this work was to find out if there is any correlation between bacteriological examination of swabs taken from the surface of the tonsils and fine needle aspirates taken from the core of the tonsils in cases of chronic tonsillitis. The study included 40 children diagnosed to have chronic tonsillitis and ranging in age between 5 and 15 years. Swabs from the surface of the tonsils and aspirates from the core of the tonsils were inoculated in blood agar [aerobically and anaerobically] and McConkey's medium. Direct gram stained films were also done. Isolated bacteria were examined for colonial morphology. In 55% of cases the organisms isolated from the core were different from those isolated from the surface. Nisseria and Streptococcus viridans were the most common organisms in both surface [75%] and core [50%] cultures. The commonest pathogenic organism was Streptococcus pyogens in 30% of surface cultures and 35% of core cultures