Rense.com



Deadly Sore Throat
Ailment On Rise In UK

9-9-2

LONDON (Reuters Health) - A potentially deadly disease that begins as a sore throat is making a comeback in the UK, possibly because doctors are being told not to prescribe antibiotics for throat infections, scientists said on Monday.
 
Lemierre's disease was common in the early 20th century but largely disappeared with the advent of antibiotics. The symptoms are a sore throat followed by infection in the lungs and liver and septicaemia (blood poisoning). The disease is fatal if not treated.
 
Scientists with the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) see an average of about 20 infections a year in England and Wales. But 37 cases were identified 1999, and higher numbers were seen in 2001, researchers said at the service's annual conference on Monday.
 
Dr. Jon Brazier, from the PHLS Anaerobe Reference Unit in Cardiff, said guidelines issued in 1999 urging general practitioners (GPs) not to use antibiotics for sore throats might be partly responsible.
 
"We cannot be sure, but it may be that this recent increase is due to a reluctance to prescribe antibiotics," Brazier said.
 
Most sore throats are caused by viral infections, which are not improved by antibiotic treatment. Doctors have been urged to avoid using antibiotics for viral infections because this contributes to the serious problem of antibiotic resistance.
 
But the rare Lemierre's disease is caused by a bacterium called Fusobacterium necrophorum, which responds to antibiotics.
 
"The key to tackling this infection is early treatment with antibiotics, but the problem with this is that one of the initial symptoms is a sore throat," Brazier said in a statement.
 
He said doctors should be aware of the condition so that they can consider antibiotic treatment if symptoms continue after a few days.
 
"This infection can be distinguished from viral sore throats by the severity and duration of the symptoms," he said.
 
Other clues include symptoms such as fever and tender swollen lymph nodes, together with the absence of symptoms such as a dry cough or runny nose, he said.






MainPage
http://www.rense.com


This Site Served by TheHostPros