Identification of β‐Hemolytic Streptococci Isolated from Hospitalized Children in Baghdad

Abstract

Two hundred and twenty four hospitalized children in Baghdad aged between 1 month and 10 years were examined for Streptococcal infections. Thirty‐four percent of the throat and saliva specimens were positive for β‐hemolytic streptococci. Males were more susceptible to infection with group A streptococci than females. Streptococcus of group A was isolated from 39.5% of the positive cases while group G was 47.4%. The etiological significance of the latter group in tonsillitis and otitis media is to be further investigated. Ninety six percent of the isolated streptococci were T typable and 13.3% of the strains were M typable. A high frequency of type T‐11 was found in streptococcal infections. T type 3875 was found to be a new provisional type. All isolates were M untypable, and anti‐opacity factor negative except for two isolates of T type 4 which were positive in both typings.