SULFADIAZINE RESISTANT STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS IN A CIVILIAN COMMUNITY 12

Abstract

This is the first report of an epidemic of respiratory infections and scarlet fever in a civilian population in which the diseases were induced by group A type 19 sulf a-resistant streptococci; 23 out of 24 strains proved resistant to 25 mg. % of sulfadiazine. Cases occurred over a period of 21/2 months, and showed no clinical differences from streptococcal diseases induced by sulfa-susceptible strains. As this epidemic in a civilian population occurred about the time that large numbers of sailors and soldiers were returning to civilian life, the inference is drawn that the peculiar microorganism was introduced into the community by some veteran who had been infected in the Army or Navy with a sulfa-resistant streptococcus, for it is known that several epidemics of streptococcal infections were caused in the Armed Forces by comparable sulfa-resistant type 19 streptococci. These findings indicate the value of identifying both the immunological and drug-resistant characteristics of epidemic strains.