PREVALENCE OF STREPTOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN OF POKHARA VALLEY, NEPAL

Abstract

Group A Beta Haemolytic Streptococcal (GABHS) infections and their sequelae Rheumatic fever (RF) and Glomerulonephritis (GN) have a world wide distribution and pose an important health problem. Present study intended to find out the prevalence ofGABHS pharyngitis among school children in the Pokhara Valley, Nepal. It was a cross sectional, observational study. During 7 months period total 750 children were examined from six government primary schools. 25.3% were found to have symptoms of clinical pharyngitis and the prevalence of GABHS pharyngitis was 7.2% among these school children. GABHS pharyngitis found more among male and in the age group of 3-10 years. This study was undertaken to highlight the problems of GABHS throat infections in Nepalese school children and also to stress on the urgent need for control programme for streptococcal disease complex. Key Words: Prevalence, Streptococcal pharyngitis, School children.