Why Antimicrobial Therapy for Fever and Sore Throat in Patients with Non-exudative Pharyngotonsillitis ?

The prescription rate and types of antimicrobial for a claim of fever and sore throat in healthy females with normal throat were determined. The general practitioners opinions for anti- microbial prescription in a presumably viral URI were also studied using a questionnaire with scenario. Antimicrobial prescription for such claim was found to be 38 (73%) of 52 visits at out-patient departments of two hospitals and three medical centres. Amoxicillin (53%) and ampicillin (13%) were the two most common antimicrobials used for therapy of the condition. Of 164 questionnaire distributed among general practitioners, 104 (63%) were available for analysis. The three most common opinions cited for antimicrobial prescription for a viral URI were as follows : Amoxicillin was used to treat silent group A streptococcal infection which may co-present in non-exudative presumably viral pharyn- gotonsillitis (82%). It can prevent secondary bacterial infection (81%). In addition, it can prevent rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis (74%) due to possible group A streptococcal infection.