Group A beta Hemolytic Streptococci and Rheumatic Fever in Miami, Florida:

III. Bacteriologic Observations on beta Hemolytic Streptococci Other Than Group A.

¹ Department of Medical Research, National Children's Cardiac Hospital, Department of Bacteriology, University of Miami, School of Medicine, and the Department of Microbiology, University of Miami.

The recovery of 842 strains of non-group A beta hemolytic streptococci, from 11,014 throat cultures taken from children and adults participating in studies in Dade County, Florida, between February 1953 and May 1956, indicated that these organisms were common in South Florida.

Group A, B, F, and non-groupable organisms were isolated from the throats of white and negro subjects with approximately equal frequency, while group G organisms were recovered somewhat more frequently from throat cultures from negro than from white children. Throat cultures from negro children yielded group C beta hemolytic streptococci four to five times as freqeuntly as did cultures from white children.

The necessity for grouping beta hemolytic streptococcal isolates is emphasized and discussed in order to differentiate non-group A from group A organisms. Non-group A strains are common, they may be related to respiratory illness, and they may confuse the physician in his evaluation of a streptococcal isolate as one of the minor diagnostic criteria of rheumatic fever.