Streptococcal Pharyngitis Therapy

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Abstract
Penicillin has been established as the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis. A dose of 125 mg or 200,000 units of phenoxymethyl penicillin (penicillin V) administered three times daily for ten days has been recommended for oral treatment by the American Heart Association.1 Despite reports of success with the above dose by several investigators,2-4 larger doses have been recommended by others.5-9 The possible relationship of suboptimal doses of phenoxymethyl penicillin to relapses after therapy was noted by us during treatment studies employing several antibiotics.10-12 This communication summarizes a four-year experience with two dosage schedules of phenoxymethyl penicillin administered orally against group A streptococcal pharyngitis and also evaluates other factors which might influence the outcome of treatment. A planned study was also undertaken in well children to determine blood levels after the ingestion of 125 mg and 250 mg of potassium phenoxymethyl penicillin in