PEDIATRICS Vol. 87 No. 5 May 1991, pp. 598-603
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Community-wide Outbreak of Group G Streptococcal Pharyngitis

Michael A. Gerber MD1, Martin F. Randolph MD1, Nancy J. Martin MS1, Munir F. Rizkallah MD1, P. Patrick Cleary PhD1, Edward L. Kaplan MD1, and Elia M. Ayoub MD1

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut; the Department of Pediatrics University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida; and the Departments of Microbiology and of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Although several outbreaks of group G beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GGBHS) pharyngitis have been described, doubt still remains regarding the etiologic role of GGBHS in acute pharyngitis beyond a limited number of situations. In the winter/spring of 1986/87, throat cultures were obtained from 222 consecutive children seen at a private pediatric office with acute pharyngitis and group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) were recovered from 91 children (41%) and GGBHS from 56 children (25%). One patient had both GABHS and GGBHS isolated. This isolation rate of GGBHS was dramatically greater than in previous and subsequent years, and 67% of the GGBHS isolates occurred during an 8-week period. Results of DNA fingerprinting of the 57 isolates of GGBHS demonstrated that 43 (75%) appeared to be the same strain. The patients with GGBHS were comparable to those with GABHS with respect to clinical findings, antistreptolysin-O titer response, and clinical response to antibiotic therapy. However, patients with GGBHS were significantly older (P < .05). This is the first well-documented, community-wide outbreak of GGBHS pharyngitis and the first respiratory outbreak of GGBHS pharyngitis in a pediatric population. GGBHS may be a more important cause of acute, treatable pharyngitis than had been previously recognized.

Key Words: streptococcus • pharyngitis

Submitted on July 13, 1990
Accepted on August 28, 1990




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M. A. Gerber and S. T. Shulman
Rapid Diagnosis of Pharyngitis Caused by Group A Streptococci
Clin. Microbiol. Rev., July 1, 2004; 17(3): 571 - 580.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]