Background: Some children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and tic disorders
appear to have symptom exacerbations triggered by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal
infections in a manner that is similar to rheumatic fever and its neurologic variant,
Sydenham's chorea. Because penicillin prophylaxis has proven to be effective in preventing
recurrences of rheumatic fever, it was postulated that it might also prevent streptococcal-
triggered neuropsychiatric symptom exacerbations in children with Pediatric Autoimmune …