Bacterial flora in chronic tonsillitis.

A study of aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora in chronic tonsillitis revealed a total of 59 isolates. Aerobic flora from the surface swab was found in 80%, from the core of the tonsil in 92% and from both the surface and the core in 68% of the cases. There were 30 aerobic isolates from the surface and 29 isolates from the core. Mixed flora were present from the surface and the core in 10 and 7 cases, respectively. Pathogens were seen in 36% of the cases from the surface and in 40% from the core. There was no significant difference in the nature of aerobic flora from the two sites. Anaerobic flora were cultured from the core only and were seen in 20% of cases. There were a total of 7 isolates. In 16% cases it was associated with aerobic flora. The common aerobes were Beta hemolytic streptococcus (16%) and Staphylococcus coagulase positive (12%) and common anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus (16%) and Veillonella parvula (4%). There was no consistent pattern of combination of aerobes and anaerobes in chronic tonsillitis.