Association between streptococcal throat infection and psoriasis in Bangladesh

Objective To assess the association between streptococcal throat infection and psoriasis. Patients and methods Total one hundred fourteen (114) patients attending at outpatient and inpatient department of Dermatology and Venereology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka were selected for our study. Patients clinically and histopathologically diagnosed as psoriasis were selected as case group and patients with skin diseases other than psoriasis were selected as control group. Results In our study, mean age was 30.73±14.69 years in cases and 26.47±12.64 years in controls. Majority of respondents were diagnosed as chronic plaque psoriasis (51%) among acute guttate psoriasis, guttate flare of chronic plaque psoriasis, deterioration of chronic plaque psoriasis and pustular psoriasis. 19 (30%) patients of psoriasis had sore throat clinically. ASO titer was raised in 65% psoriatics and 19.6% non-psoriatic controls. Majority of cases of guttate psoriasis (86.6%) had raised ASO titer versus 27.2% respective controls. Normal flora was the maximum finding in two groups and Streptococcus pyogenes was the second highest in frequency in both sides. In throat swab culture results of two groups, 15 (23.8%) psoriasis patients and 5 (9.8%) non-psoriatic controls were found positive for S pyogenes .  Conclusion Streptococcal throat infection can cause provocation of psoriasis. So, psoriasis patients should be encouraged to report sore throat to their physician and early treatment of streptococcal throat infections might be beneficial in psoriasis.