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Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis is commonly seen in primary care practice, especially in grade-school children. Practitioners treat to reduce symptoms and prevent suppurative and nonsuppurative complications. To determine the incidence, transmission, and carriage rates for GAS pharyngitis, researchers in Australia conducted a 16-month prospective, population-based study, reporting data from 196 families (828 patients) with at least one child aged 3 to 12 years.
Throat cultures for GAS pharyngitis were obtained at baseline and every 3 to 4 months throughout the study period. Cultures also were obtained when patients had sore throat; patients with cultures positive for GAS pharyngitis were visited at home 1 to 2 weeks later for serolog…