Comparison between the prophylaxis of rheumatic fever with benzathine penicillin G every four weeks versus every three weeks and oral penicillin

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to clarify the differences between prophylaxis of rheumatic fever by 4 weeks benzathine penicillin G versus 3 weeks regimen and also versus the prophylaxis with oral penicillin. The results of this study proved that, the 3 weeks program for the prophylaxis of rheumatic fever is much better than the 4 weeks program and in turn the 4 weeks program is better than the oral penicillin. The injection with benzathine penicillin produced better results than the oral penicillin. Although, the oral use of penicillin is more accepted for the children than the benzathine penicillin injection, which is very painful. Also, in spite that the injection is painful and needs to do sensitive test for every injection, but it gave better results if given every 3 weeks to give sustained accepted concentration of penicillin in the blood. The increased recurrence of B-hemolytic streptococci infection of throat in the 4 weeks program was more than the 3 weeks program