Isolation and Identification of Streptococcus pyogenes in Patients with Sore Throat

Abstract

This study aimed to isolate and identify Streptococcus pyogenesin patients with sore throat. Fifty throat swabs were collected from patients with sore throat attended Ear, Nose and Throat(ENT) hospital in Khartoum in period between January and April 2014. The swabs were cultured on blood agar with bacitracin disc, incubated aerobically with 5-10% carbon dioxide at 37ºC overnight. The isolated organisms were identified by their sensitivity to bacitracin disc, Gram's stain and biochemical tests. 26 (52%) swabs were collected fromfemales and 24 (48%) swabs were collected from males. All the50 throat swabs cultured on blood agar with bacitracin disc, showed significant growth (100%). Only 3 (6%) Streptococcus pyogeneswere identifiedfrom the swabs. Further research is required to validate the actual percentage of Streptococcus pyogenes from patients with sore throat.