Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci in Survey Throat Cultures in an Indian Population

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Abstract
Sheep-blood pour-plates were made from 1-3-hour broth cultures of 2536 swabs from subjects ranging in age from under 1 to over 50 years, drawn from various population groups: town or country; school or health clinic, during 3 distinct seasonal periods. Subcultures from 4 typical colonies from each were treated for bacitracin sensitivity and at least one was extracted in HC1 for precipitin tests. Of 902 positive cultures 15% were identified as Group A, 16% as B, 23% as C, 36% as G. Only one strain was typable, a Type 46. This pattern is different from those reported by others, with a lower incidence of Group A and higher of B, C, and especially G; though the peak incidence of "infection" was found to be the same - in the 6-15-year-old subjects. Bacitracin-sensitive Group G strains were frequently encountered. No pattern of season variation was detected.