streptococcal sore throat
streptococcal sore throat
If you have a sore throat accompanied by congestion and fever, you may have strep throat. Details are in the following article.
Strep throat is a bacterial infection that affects the throat and results in congestion and many other symptoms. If left untreated, it may cause many difficult complications, such as rheumatic fever and others.
The following will provide you with the most important information about strep throat:
Causes of strep throat
Strep throat is an infection of the throat and tonsils caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus Group A.
This type of bacteria lives in the nose and throat of an infected person and can easily spread to other people by speaking, coughing, or sneezing through small respiratory droplets.
Here are the most prominent ways through which the infection can be transmitted between people in the following:
- Breathe in droplets from your respiratory tract that contain bacteria.
- touching contaminated objects to produce contaminated droplets, and then touching the mouth or nose.
- Drink or eat from the same cup or plate as someone who has the bacteria.
- Touching sores on the skin can lead to infection from the same bacteria or the fluid that is oozing from them.
Symptoms of strep throat
The main distinguishing sign of streptococcal infection is a sore throat, which develops rapidly and is accompanied by another group of symptoms, which include the following:
- High fever , which may reach 38.3°C or higher.
- swelling and redness of the tonsils.
- feeling pain when swallowing.
- swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck
- The appearance of white spots in the throat and small red spots on the roof of the mouth
- Anorexia.
- stomachache.
- Headache
- Tiredness and a sense of body aches
- nausea and vomiting.
- Anorexia.
- The appearance of a rash
diagnosis of strep throat
The doctor will perform a physical examination after looking at the symptoms that the patient is experiencing and may order one or more of the following tests:
1. Rapid antigen test
This throat swab test detects streptococcus bacteria within minutes by looking for antigens in the throat.
If the test result is negative and the doctor still suspects strep throat, he may order a polymerase chain reaction test to detect the presence of the same bacteria in the throat.
2. Throat culture
A sterile swab is passed down the back of the throat and tonsils to obtain a sample of secretions, which can be cultured in a lab and detected for the presence of bacteria. Results may take up to two days.
Treatment for strep throat
Strep throat should be treated with antibiotics within a few days of infection to avoid further problems and complications. Antibiotics are given orally or by injection and should help you feel better within a day or two.
It is very important to take the full course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor even after you start to feel better, so that the bacteria cannot develop resistance, which is then difficult to treat.
In addition, there is a group of home practises that can be done to help improve faster, including:
- Drink warm liquids, such as lemon tea or tea with honey.
- Gargling with warm salt water several times a day may help provide some relief.
- sucking on hard candy or throat lozenges. Avoid giving these products to children, as they may choke on them.
- Try over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen.
complications of strep throat
If a streptococcal sore throat continues without treatment, it will develop into a group of complications resulting from the presence of this type of bacteria in the body, including:
- Kidney disease.
- Guttate psoriasis is a skin condition in which small, red, scaly patches appear on the arms, legs, and midsection.
- The appearance of an abscess in the area around the tonsils
- Rheumatic fever.
- Scarlet fever.
Prevention of strep throat
A person often suffers from strep throat at some point in his life. Here are some tips that help prevent strep throat:
- Keep your hands clean and wash them regularly with soap and water to prevent most infections.
- When coughing, cover your mouth to prevent infection transmission to others.
- Isolate personal items for people with strep throat, such as drinking glasses and eating utensils.
- Ensure that surfaces that are touched regularly, such as door handles, countertops, and appliance handles, are cleaned.
Follow practises that generally boost the immune system to help prevent disease, including:
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet.
- Do regular exercise.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Quit Smoking.
- Avoid consuming alcohol.
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