Current status and prospects in the diagnosis and epidemiology of streptococcal infections
Mihalcu, F.
Revista de Igiena Bacteriologie Virusologie Parazitologie Epidemiologie Pneumoftiziologie. Bacteriologia Virusologia Parazitologia Epidemiologia 24(3): 129-140
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0376-4494 PMID: 388589 Document Number: 147809
In the first part of the paper the author stresses the importance, and the necessity of laboratory investigation of streptococcal infections, in view of the establishment of the clinical and of the etiologic diagnosis, for assessing the efficiency of the treatment applied, for monitoring the recovery of patients, as well as of chronic patients, and for the prevention, and detection of late complications. The complex methodology of laboratory methods of diagnosis in streptococcal infections is presented, stressing the use, and the efficiency of micromethods and of rapid techniques for diagnosis. In the second part of the paper are presented a series of data concerning the epidemiology of streptococcal infecstions in our country, as well as in other countries, with reference to various forms of the acute disease, and of late complications, stressing some particular aspects of the streptococcal infection. Morbidity indexes are presented, as well as death rates for scarlet fever, acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic cardiopathies, as well as the incidence of different serologic groups of the haemolytic type, and the fluctuation of group A serotypes, which have been prevalent over the last years in our country. In view of lowering the morbidity the author recommends an extensive surveillance, organized along the lines of a primary prophylaxis program, as well as of a secondary program of streptococcal infections in high-risk collectivities.