Acute rheumatic fever and infectious-inflammatory diseases of the pharynx: the relationship, treatment, and prophylaxis

The relationship between pharyngeal infections, such as tonsillitis and pharyngitis, caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (BHSA) and acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a well-established fact confirmed by numerous studies carried out along the following lines: epidemiological, immunological, therapeutic, and prophylactic. The currently available data provide an opportunity to discuss the existence of «rheumatogenic» BHSA strains exhibiting a number of characteristic clinical and morphological properties. According to the current recommendations penicillins remain the means of first-line therapy for the treatment of acute forms of BHSA-induced tonsillitis and pharyngitis, whereas the macrolides should be applied only as the alternative medications in the patients with intolerance to beta-lactam antibiotics. This article contains characteristics of BHSA-carrier state and the principal indications for the prescription of antibiotics to the patients with these conditions. The key principle of secondary medicamental prophylaxis of acute respiratory infections are expounded along with the main fines of future research on the problems associated with BHSA-induced pharyngeal infections.