RESUMO
In this study the authors evaluated the importance of bacteriological study in the diagnostics of chronic tonsillitis in children and investigated the eventuality of modification in superficial as well as parenchymal tonsillar microflora brought about by preventive treatment with benzylpenicillin G. The study further aimed at revealing an eventual relationship between microflora and classic laboratory parameters (haemochromocytometric examination, leukocytic formula, VES, ASLO and urine analysis) as well as at evaluating the possibility of a correlation between the degree of tonsillar hypertrophy and microflora. The 100 patients studied had chronic tonsillitis, were between the ages of 4 and 12 and were all candidates for tonsillectomy. The subjects were divided into two groups of 50 patients each; one group had not had any antibiotic treatment for at least 30 days prior to the study, while the second group had undergone antibiotic treatment during the days or weeks immediately before the study and was administered benzylpenicillin G 24 hours prior to sampling. The superficial and intraparenchymal tonsillar tampon samples taken in both groups underwent bacteriological studies. The most frequently isolated bacteria was Haemophilus Influenzae (40% of the cases). A clear-cut prevalence of this bacteria was observed in those patients treated with benzylpenicillin G as opposed to those not treated. Haemolytic Group A Streptococcus was found almost exclusively in the tonsils of those patients not treated with antibiotics (14 out of 15 cases). Various degrees of tonsillar hypertrophy were observed although no sure correlation between the presence of the pathology and the bacteria found, either superficially or in the parenchyma, was established. Furthermore, no significant was revealed between the presence of superficial or intraparenchymal bacteria.
