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

Abstract

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