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Prevention of streptococcal infection
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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In the absence of specific means of preventing diseases transmitted by aerosols, with many latent and asymptomatic forms of infection, it is not so easy to reduce the incidence of streptococcal infection, therefore anti-epidemic measures in organized groups are of particular importance.
The basis for the prevention of respiratory streptococcal infections in such groups is early and active diagnostics of streptococcal infection, isolation and full etiotropic treatment of patients. Penicillin drugs prevent group cases of scarlet fever and reduce the incidence of tonsillitis and streptococcal ARI. To stop outbreaks of respiratory streptococcal diseases in organized groups, universal emergency prophylaxis with penicillin drugs is carried out. For this purpose, all persons who have been in contact with patients are given a single intramuscular injection of bicillin-5 (preschoolers - 750,000 IU, schoolchildren and adults - 1,500,000 IU) or bicillin-1 (preschoolers - 600,000 IU, schoolchildren and adults - 1,200,000 IU). In military contingents that are high-risk for respiratory streptococcal infection, emergency prophylaxis should be carried out immediately after the formation of groups and before the onset of a seasonal increase in morbidity (preventive emergency prophylaxis). In other groups, where seasonal increases in morbidity are relatively low or do not have a regular character, an interruptive type of emergency prophylaxis can be used. In this case, it is carried out during the period of an epidemic increase in morbidity.
In organized children's and adult groups, hospital conditions, sanitary and hygienic measures (reducing the size of the group, its overcrowding, general sanitary measures, disinfection regime) reduce the likelihood of airborne and contact-household transmission of the pathogen. Prevention of the alimentary route of infection is carried out in the same directions as for intestinal infections.
[ Prevention of streptococcal infection in an epidemic outbreak
Prevention of streptococcal infection consists of following measures aimed at neutralizing sources of infection (patients, convalescents, carriers) and preventing post-streptococcal complications. Treatment of streptococcal infection with penicillin drugs is carried out for ten days (WHO recommendations) - this is enough for complete sanitation of patients as sources of infection and to prevent the development of post-streptococcal complications.