Prechewing of food by adults and streptococcal pharyngitis in infants.

Three infants with group A streptococcal pharyngitis were found to have eaten food prechewed by their parents. One parent had a history of recent pharyngitis and another had frequent episodes of tonsillitis. Prechewing of babies' food, which may be more common in the United States than is generally recognized, may be a mode of transmission of group A streptococcal pharyngitis to infants.