Has prior antibiotic therapy eliminated protective throat bacteria?
Prominent, normal bacteria of the throat include another type of streptococci (alpha hemolytic). These bacteria make natural antibiotic substances (to provide an advantage for themselves) in the throat. Penicillin or amoxicillin therapy may change the natural environment for throat bacteria by killing these alpha hemolytic streptococci; their elimination provides an opportunity for disease-causing strep to gain access to the throat cells. This is another reason for patients to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. top Has early, prompt antibiotic treatment suppressed natural immunity? With the availability of rapid strep detection tests and the publication of several convincing studies that describe faster clinical improvement from prompt treatment, many physicians have been prescribing antibiotics sooner after diagnosing strep throat infections. Immediate penicillin treatment has been shown to be a cause of recurrent strep infections. Early antibiotic treatment suppresses the natural immu
