Strep throat
Alternative Names
Strep throatWhat is Strep throat
Strep throat is a bacterial infection that affects the throat and the tonsils. Due to this infection the throat becomes irritated and inflamed causing a sudden, severe sore throat.
Strep throat can be transmitted from one person to another. When a person who has strep throat breathes, coughs or sneezes tiny droplets with the strep bacteria go into the air. These droplets can be breathed in by other people. If you come into contact with strep, it will take 2-5 days before you start to have symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
The most common symptoms of strep throat may include:
- A sudden, severe sore throat
- Pain when you swallow
- Fever over 101°F (38.3°C)
- Swollen tonsils and lymph nodes
- White or yellow spots on the back of a bright red throat
- You may also have a headache and belly pain.
Less common symptoms are a red skin rash, vomiting, not feeling hungry and body aches.
Possible complications
Spread of infection
Strep bacteria can cause an infection in your:
- Tonsils
- Sinuses
- Skin
- Blood
- Middle ear
Inflammatory reactions
- Scarlet fever- an illness characterized by a rash
- Inflammation of the kidney (poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis)
- Rheumatic fever is a serious condition that can affect the heart, joints, nervous system and skin
Strep infection can also lead to other inflammatory illnesses such as:
What causes
The exact cause of strep throat is streptococcal (strep) bacteria. There are many different types of strep bacteria that can lead to more serious illness.
Although some people think that sore throats are commonly caused by a viral infection and not strep bacteria. A sore throat caused by a virus can be just as painful as strep throat. But if you have cold symptoms such as coughing, sneezing or a runny or stuffy nose, you probably do not have strep throat.
Prevention
You can prevent getting strep throat by avoiding contact with anyone who has a strep infection. If you are around someone who is infected, you should wash your hands often. Do not drink from the same glass or use the same eating utensils and, of course, do not share toothbrushes.
If you have a strep infection you should do the following things in order not to infect others:
- Use tissues you can throw away instead of handkerchiefs
- Wash your hands often
- Do not sneeze or cough on others
- Take antibiotics
- Stay home from work or school until 24 hours after you have started antibiotics
Treatment
Strep throat will disappear in 3-7 days with or without treatment. Antibiotics are usually used to treat strep throat. They shorten the time you are able to spread the disease to others (are contagious) and lower the risk of spreading the infection to other parts of your body.
You are infectious while you still have symptoms. Most people stop being infectious 24 hours after they start antibiotics. If you do not use antibiotics, you can be infectious for 2-3 weeks, even if your symptoms disappear.
Your doctor can also recommend you to take acetaminophen such as Tylenol or ibuprofen such as Advil or Motrin to relieve pain and lower your fever.
