How to Prevent Streptococcal Infections

Streptococcal infections, caused by bacterium in the Streptococcus genus, usually Streptococcus pyogenes, is one of the most common pathogens encountered in clinical practice, especially pediatrics. Streptococcus causes a variety of infections with at least two potentially serious complications: glomerulonephritis and rheumatic fever. It also has become a common cause of Toxic Shock Syndrome. The following steps will show how to prevent streptococcal infections.

Instructions

• 1

  Employ strict hygiene measures to prevent intrafamily spread of streptococcal infections. This is especially important in the case of Streptococcus because of its increasing resistance to antibiotics.

• 2

  Begin long-term therapy with antibiotics in patients with a history of rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease to prevent streptococcal infections. The recommended dosage is 1.2 million IU of benzathine penicillin G injected every 3 to 4 weeks, 250 mg of penicillin V orally twice a day or 0.5 to 1 g of sulfadiazine a day.

• 3

  Obtain cultures from family members of a patient with a staphylococcal infection when there is a family history of rheumatic fever or the patient has glomerulonephritis. This strategy is recommended by some authorities but its benefits have not been clearly established.

• 4

  Treat all household contacts of a patient with glomerulonephritis with empirical antibiotic therapy. Some experts recommend initiating treatment immediately without waiting for culture results because of the devastating nature of this infection.

• 5

  Stay current on the development of a streptococcal vaccine. This is proving to be a challenge because an effective vaccine would need to protect against multiple serotypes and the antibodies caused by the vaccine could precipitate rheumatic fever.