A four-year study of the occurrence of beta-hemolytic streptococci in 64 school children

This study reports on the incidence of GAS infection in 125 US children aged between 6 and 12 years, who had throat swabs routinely collected once a month, and also whenever they had symptoms or signs of pharyngitis, during a four year period (1955-1959). Episodes of acute symptomatic streptococcal throat infection occurred at a rate of approximately 2% per month. Episodes of new asymptomatic infection occurred at a rate of approximately 10% per month – only 20% of new infections were symptomatic. Prolonged asymptomatic carriage was common.