A research team at the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Laboratory of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital published a study in the Canadian Medical Association JournalThursday, August 23, 2007A research team at the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Laboratory of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital has recently published a study which examined the level of resistance to several antibiotics used to treat strep throat. The team, made up of Dr. Richard Garceau, Dr. Louise Thibault and Dr. Valérie Lavergne, has noticed an increase in streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat) in the adult and pediatric population. A range of complications stemming from long-lasting strep throat infections included: skin infection (postpharyngitis erysipelas), abscesses in the back of the throat (retropharyngeal abscesses) and sinusitis. The research team attributes these complications to the prescription of two macrolides (Biaxin, Zithromax) that were ineffective in treating strep throat.
The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, July 17th Edition. The goal of the study was to analyze the resistance of group A Streptococcus to two macrolides: Biaxin and Zithromax. During a one-month period, the team tested all patients at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital indisposed by a group A Streptococcus. During this time, bacterial cultures were collected from 101 patients. Amongst these patients, 42.6% of the streptococcus bacteria were resistant to Biaxin and Zithromax. These high levels of resistance indicate a need to revise prescription procedures when dealing with streptococcus.
According to Dr Garceau, a microbiologist at the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Laboratory of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital, it is very important to follow reliable guidelines when administering antibiotics. According to him, antibiotics should only be prescribed when a bacterial infection is confirmed, that is when the bacterial culture is proven positive.
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