The Correlation of Micro-organisms between Tonsillar Crypt Culture and Tonsillar Core Culture in Chronic Tonsillitis
Prasit Mahakit MD*, Greetha Moungthong MD*, Tananun Sombulna MD*, Sudaluk Chantaratchada MSc**
Affiliation : * Department of Otolaryngology, ** Microbiology Unit, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Objectives : This study was undertaken to seek the correlation between tonsillar core and tonsillar crypt
cultures and study the incidence of beta- lactamase producing bacteria (BLPB) in chronic tonsillitis
patients.
Materials and Methods : The study was carried out in Department of Otolaryngology from Feb 2000 to Dec
2001. Patients with chronic tonsillitis who underwent tonsillectomy were enrolled, and culture results
from tonsillar crypts were compared with tonsillar core.
Results : The tonsil were removed from 61 patients. Age ranging from 2-14 years (n=21) and 15-50 years
(N= 40 ); H. influenza (25.2%), S.aureus (23.4%), and S. viridian (11.3%) were isolated from tonsillar
core, while 25.9% and 24% of organisms isolated from tonsillar crypt were H. influenza and S.aurieus,
respectively. Correlations between tonsillar core and tonsillar crypt culture were 100% specificity for
Group A beta hemolytic streptococcocus ( GABHS ), 86.2% for H.influenza and 81.5% for S.aureus.
Regarding beta-lactamase production, 29.2% of H.influenza were beta lactamase producing bacteria
(BLPB), while 88.9% of S.aureus were BLPB.
Conclusion : The present study demonstrates a high correlation in cultures obtained from tonsillar crypt
and tonsillar core. The difference in isolated technique may account for the higher correlation when
compared to previous studies. The incidence of beta- lactamase producing bacteria in chronic tonsillitis
was high.
Keywords : Tonsillar crypt, Tonsillar core, Bacteriology, Beta-lactamase
