The 24-hour urinary excretion of coproporphyrin was measured in three groups of children.Group I consisted of 88 children with acute scarlet fever, hospitalized in Providence, Rhode Island, during an epidemic in the spring of 1957. Single 24-hour specimens of urine were obtained during the first or second week of illness.Group II was composed of 54 children with sporadic streptococcal pharyngitis seen by private pediatricians in Atlanta, Georgia. Urinary excretions of coproporphyrin were measured during the acute illness and at weekly intervals thereafter.Group III included 21 children with nonstreptococcal pharyngitis.Acute streptococcal infection usually is not associated with a significantly increased rate of urinary excretion of coproporphyrin in children who do not develop subsequent acute rheumatic fever. A greater rate of urinary excretion of coproporphyrin by boys than by girls was significant at the 1% level of confidence.
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