CLINICAL AND ETIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE PHARYNX ACUTE INFLAMMATION COURSE IN CHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Abstract

The issue of pharynx acute inflammatory pathology is still relevant. Despite the large number of scientific papers and clinical recommendations on this topic, the management of patients with acute tonsillopharyngitis (ATP) is not always rational. Objective of the research: to clarify the relationship between clinical manifestations and etiology of ATP in different age groups in routine outpatient pediatric practice. Materials and methods: 111 children with ATP aged from 1 to 17 years were examined. Patients underwent a routine otorhinolaryngological examination, an express test for group A streptococcus (GAS) detection and a comprehensive microbiological study (in samples from the oropharynx, the bacterial flora was determined by the culture method, respiratory and herpes viruses were detected by the polymerase chain reaction method). Results: in children aged 1 to 7 years, the prevalence of viral-bacterial flora in the ATP etiology was revealed, in patients from 7 years of age and older, the bacterial flora begins to play a major role in the inflammation development. The overall incidence of GAS in the study was 6,3%; it was detected only among children aged 3 to 12 years, herpes viruses were often detected in the same periods of childhood. The study did not reveal any pathognomonic clinical signs only for GAS+ATP, as well as for other pathogens (except a reliable connection between the detection of rhino, adeno and coronavirus in patients with ATP and rhinorrhea). The study revealed age-related features of the ATP course: an increase in the cervical lymph nodes was significantly more often observed at the age of 3 to 12 years, and tonsil stones at primary school age. Conclusion: the study did not reveal the relationship between features of the ATP clinical course and the etiology (including GAS); some age-related features in the preschool and primary school periods were noted.