Antibiotic-Resistant Streptococci

Sir.—In a recent issue of theJournal(133:1143-1145, 1979), Maruyama et al reported a high percent of group A streptococci in Japan to be resistant to erythromycin and other antibiotics during a one-year survey (1974-1975). They concluded that widespread resistance might be related to excessive use of erythromycin in streptococcal therapy. We have also encountered erythromycin-resistant streptococci at our institution. Report of a Case.—A 5-year-old boy with a sore throat was given oral penicillin V, 250 mg four times daily for ten days, after isolation of group A β-hemolytic streptococcus on culture of throat material (sheepblood agar with bacitracin disk for presumptive group A identification). Symptoms abated within six days. Follow-up throat cultures at 13 and 20 days after the original diagnosis were still positive for group A β-hemolytic streptococcus, and therapy with penicillin was continued for a total of 27 days. A culture at 31 days was