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Strep Throat: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Option
Strep throat is a bacterial infection of the tissues in the back of the throat (pharynx) and the tonsils or adenoids. The tissues become irritated and inflamed, causing a sudden, severe sore throat.
Causes
Strep throat is caused by streptococcal (strep) bacteria, most often by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABS). Other types of strep that can sometimes infect the throat are groups C and G strep bacteria.
A strep infection causes the throat (pharynx) and the tonsils or adenoids to become irritated, inflamed, and painful.
Sore throats are most commonly caused by viral infections or other irritants such as smoke, allergies, dry air, or a throat injury, and not by a strep infection. For more information, see the topic Sore Throat.
How the strep infection is spread
Strep throat can be passed from person to person. When a person infected with strep throat breathes, coughs, or sneezes, tiny droplets containing the strep bacteria are released into the air and are breathed in by other people.
Symptoms of strep throat include a sore throat with:
- Fever of 101 °F(38.3 °C) or higher.
- Pain and difficulty swallowing.
- White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and tonsils.
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
In children, strep throat may also cause body aches, headache, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, or listlessness. Strep throat does not occur with cold symptoms, such as sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, or cough.
While strep throat usually resolves on its own in a few days, it is treated with antibiotics to prevent complications, such as rheumatic fever, from occurring.
Surgery Choices
Tonsillectomy may be performed in some cases of strep throat.
An abscess on the tonsils (peritonsillar abscess) may be treated with a simple procedure in which a small incision is made to drain the abscess, although removing the tonsils is appropriate in some of these cases.
What To Think About
Tonsillectomy is no longer routine for children who have frequent sore throats. Surgery has been shown to reduce the number of throat infections for 2 years. However, over time, many children who did not have surgery also had fewer throat infections.
When you are trying to decide whether to have your or your child's tonsils removed, determine:
- How much time you or your child is missing from work or school because of throat infections.
- How much stress and inconvenience the illness places on the family.
The risks of surgery must also be weighed against the risks of leaving the tonsils in. In some cases of persistent strep throat infections, especially if there are other complications, surgery may be the best choice.
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