Evaluation of penicillins, cephalosporins, and macrolides for therapy of streptococcal pharyngitis.

OBJECTIVE

To review recent clinical experience with treatment of acute streptococcal pharyngitis with penicillins, cephalosporins, and macrolide antibiotics.

METHODS

Literature review and analysis.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Oral penicillin V administered two to three times daily for 10 days is the treatment of choice for acute streptococcal pharyngitis and is the oral standard against which other treatments should be measured. A single intramuscular dose of benzathine penicillin also remains highly effective. Recent studies evaluating alternative oral agents given for less than 10 days or in once-daily regimens have yielded promising results. Studies should make efforts to exclude chronic streptococcal carriers with intercurrent viral pharyngitis because their inclusion in treatment trials substantially confounds the data. As issues of health care costs assume increasing importance, the cost of newer antimicrobial agents will deter their usage for acute streptococcal pharyngitis.