A three-year streptococcal survey among Singapore school children. Part I--Carriership of streptococci.

A prospective three years' survey, conducted on a total of 491 children attending four schools in Singapore showed that the throat carrier rates for beta-haemolytic and group A streptococci varied from 15-31 percent and 6.6-15.7 per cent respectively. Malays had the highest streptococcal throat carrier rates followed by Indians/Pakistanis and the Chinese. There was no significant difference in streptococcal throat carrier rates between the sexes. Children from lowest family income of less than $500/- and those living in attap/zinc houses had the highest streptococcal carriage rates. On the other hand, children from households where two or less than two persons shared a room had the lowest beta-haemolytic and group A streptococcal throat carrier rates. No marked variation in the incidences of streptococcal carriage rates was detected during the rainy and dry seasons. Twelve (2.4 percent) of the children haboured beta-haemolytic streptococci on their healthy skin. Ten (2 percent) of these children were colonized by group A streptococci. T5/11/12/27/44 was found to be the most predominant pattern during the period of study. Other common T patterns were T3/13/B3264, T8/25/Imp19 and T4/24/26/28/29/46. 19(17.3 percent) of the throat group A strains were M-typable and 11 M types were differentiated.