Application of bacteriophage therapy in the treatment of children with acute tonsillitis

Abstract

Context In pediatrics, there is an increasing interest in the therapeutic efficacy of inhaled bacteriophages for treating infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract in children. Aim To analyze the effectiveness of inhaled bacteriophage therapy in children with acute tonsillitis (AT). Settings and Design Clinical observation of patients was based on a randomized, controlled research method. Methods and Material A total of 212 sick children aged 4–15 years who had AT were examined. Bacteriophage therapy was carried out by nebulizer inhalation using the liquid polyvalent piobacteriophage. Patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment method. One group of patients received a course of bacteriophage therapy against the background of standard treatment. Results When patients sought medical help, during the general clinical examination, the following were noted: cervical lymphadenopathy (98.6%), hyperemia of the tonsils and hyperplasia (98.1%), against the background of hyperthermia. Bacteriological analysis of the pharynx mucus showed that the main causative agents of AT in children were the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae. Patients who underwent inhaled bacteriophage therapy in the early stages of treatment experienced a 1.4-fold greater disappearance of objective signs of pathological processes in the tonsils against the backdrop of rapid improvement in the well-being of sick children. Moreover, the use of a combination of antibiotic therapy and bacteriophage therapy led to a decrease in the detection of pathogenic bacteria, and the effectiveness of drug treatment increased four times. Conclusion The use of bacteriophage therapy in the complex treatment of AT in children contributes to a more rapid relief of the acute period against the background of an improvement in the subjective assessment of well-being by up to 25%, and a decrease in the detection of pathogenic bacteria.