[Does antibiotic therapy hinder the course of peritonsillar abscesses?].

INTRODUCTION

Peritonsillar abscess (quinsy) is a complication of acute bacterial tonsillitis. In a prospective study, the influence of antibiotic therapy on the clinical course in patients with quinsy was analysed.

METHOD

History and clinical signs in patients with quinsy referred to our hospital were assessed by a structured questionnaire. Pus was cultured under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

RESULTS

40 patients were enrolled in the study, 18 of whom (45%) were treated with antibiotics prior to admission. There was no significant difference in history and clinical signs between the patients with antibiotics and the group without. The microbiological results showed a dominant role of anaerobic bacteria without significant difference between the two groups of patients.

DISCUSSION

Antibiotic therapy did not prevent the occurrence of peritonsillar abscess in 45% of our patients and had no influence on the clinical course of the disease. A possible reason for these findings is that the onset of antibiotic therapy was too late in the disease process, or, in some cases, that an antibiotic drug with an inadequate antimicrobiological spectrum was chosen.