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Management of Healthcare Workers With Pharyngitis or Suspected Streptococcal Infections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

David Jay Weber ,
William A. Rutala  and
Floyd W. Denny Jr
David Jay Weber*
Affiliation:
Adult and Pediatric Divisions of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine Departments of Hospital Epidemiology and Occupational Health Service, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
William A. Rutala
Affiliation:
Adult and Pediatric Divisions of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine Departments of Hospital Epidemiology and Occupational Health Service, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Floyd W. Denny Jr
Affiliation:
Adult and Pediatric Divisions of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
*
Division of Infectious Diseases, CB #7030 Burnett Womack, 547, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030
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Abstract

The group A streptococcus may cause pharyngitis, rheumatic fever, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, and serious skin and soft-tissue infections. More than 50 nosocomial outbreaks have been reported since 1966. For this reason, healthcare facilities should develop policies for the diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic hospital employees, and for the recognition and management of potential outbreaks. The clinical diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis is unreliable. Rapid streptococcal tests may be used for initial screening, but a negative rapid test should be confirmed with a properly obtained culture. Penicillin remains the treatment of choice, but new alternatives now include a 5-day course of either azithromycin or cefpodoxime.

Type
Topics in Occupational Medicine
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 17 , Issue 11 , November 1996 , pp. 753 - 761
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1996

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