Strep Throat

Also known as "Streptococcal Pharyngitis"

We have selected the following expert medical opinion based on its clarity, reliability and accuracy. Credits: Sourced from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please refer to your own medical practitioner for a final perspective, assessment or evaluation.

Overview

Many things can cause that unpleasant, scratchy, and sometimes painful condition known as a sore throat. Viruses, bacteria, allergens, environmental irritants (such as cigarette smoke), and nasal allergies can all cause a sore throat.

Strep throat is an infection in the throat (called pharyngitis) or tonsils (tonsillitis) caused by a group of bacteria belonging to the bacterial genus “group A beta-hemolytic streptococci”. In short, they are often referred to as “group A strep”.

Group A strep bacteria can also live in a person’s nose and throat without causing illness. The bacteria spread through contact with droplets after an infected person coughs or sneezes. If you touch your mouth, nose, or eyes after touching something with these droplets on it, you may become ill. If you drink from the same glass or eat from the same plate as a sick person, you could also become ill. It is also possible to get strep throat from touching sores on the skin caused by group A strep.

Symptoms

A fever is a common symptom of strep throat.

The most common symptoms of strep throat include:

• Sore throat, usually starts quickly and can cause pain when swallowing
• A fever
• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
• Tiny, red spots (petechiae) on the roof of the mouth (the soft or hard palate)
• Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
• Other symptoms may include headache, stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting. Someone with strep throat may also have a rash known as scarlet fever (also called scarlatina).

Strep throat symptoms typically do not include:

• Cough
• Runny nose
• Hoarseness (changes in your voice that makes it sound breathy, raspy, or strained)
• Conjunctivitis (also called pink eye)

These symptoms usually suggest that a virus is the cause of the illness.

Treatment

Antibiotics

Your healthcare professional will decide on an appropriate course of antibiotics, which can:

• Decrease the length of time you’re sick
• Reduce your symptoms
• Help prevent the spread of infection to others
• Prevent more serious complications, such as tonsil and sinus infections, and acute rheumatic fever (a rare inflammatory disease that can affect the heart, joints, skin, and brain)

You should start feeling better in just a day or two after starting antibiotics.

Recommended websites

For further reading go to:

• Other diseases caused by Strep A
• Know more about streptococci
• How streptococcal infections can ruin your kidneys
• Why washing hands prevent the spread of disease – Show me the science
• Mind your manners – Coughing and sneezing spread disease

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