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Overview

Strep throat is an infection caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes (strep) Group A bacteria which is also responsible for such life-threatening conditions as toxic shock syndrome (multi-organ failures) and necrotizing fasciitis (soft tissue disease) commonly known as flesh eating disease. Most people are familiar with strep throat which along with minor skin infection is the most common form of strep disease. Adults can come down with a strep throat but it is more common in children between the ages of 5 and 15 usually striking in the late fall or winter months.

Causes

You can get a group A strep infections by direct contact with saliva or nasal discharge from an infected person. The infection spreads through the air when the infected person talks coughs or sneezes. Most people do not get group A strep infections from casual contact with others but a crowded environment like a dormitory school or an institutional setting such as a nursing home can make it easier for the bacteria to spread. You can get sick within 3 days after being exposed to the germ. Once infected you can pass the infection to others for up to 2 to 3 weeks even if you don't have symptoms.

Symptoms

If you have strep throat infection you will have a red and painful sore throat with white patches on your tonsils. You also may have swollen lymph nodes in your neck run a fever and have a headache. Children with strep throat often have a fever and complain of sore throat headache and stomachache. They may also have swollen tender glands in the neck or sores around the nose. Scarlet fever a rare form of strep infection is characterized by a sore throat more general symptoms such as fatigue and a red rash on the body that feels like sandpaper.

It is difficult to diagnose strep throat just by looking at the throat. To confirm a diagnosis your doctor will take a sample of tissue from your throat. This will be used for a culture or a rapid strep test which only takes 10 to 20 minutes. If the result of the rapid test is negative you may get a follow-up culture to confirm the results which takes 24 to 48 hours. If the culture test is also negative your health care provider may suspect you do not have strep but rather another type of infection. The results of these throat cultures will affect what your doctor decides to be the best treatment.

Treatment

If your doctor confirms you have a strep infection he or she will prescribe antibiotics. This will help reduce symptoms and after 24 hours of taking the medicine you will no longer be able to spread the disease to others. Treatment will also reduce the chance of complications.

Health experts think penicillin is the best medicine for treating strep throat because it has been proven to be effective safe and inexpensive. Your doctor may have you take pills for 10 days or give you a shot. If you are allergic to penicillin there are other antibiotics your health care provider can give you to clear up the illness. Doctors often prefer to give amoxicillin to children with strep throat.

During treatment you may start to feel better within 4 days. This can happen even without treatment. Still it is very important to finish all the medicine to prevent complications.

Untreated group A strep infection can result in rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN). Rheumatic fever develops about 18 days after a bout of strep throat and causes joint pain and heart disease. It can be followed months later by Sydenham's chorea a disorder where the muscles of the torso and arms and legs are marked with dancing and jerky movements. PSGN is an inflammation of the kidneys that may follow an untreated strep throat but more often comes after a strep skin infection. Both disorders are rarely seen in North America because of prompt and effective treatment of most cases of strep throat.

Frequent hand washing is important to prevent spread of infection especially after wiping the nose and before eating or preparing food. Always cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing. If your child has strep throat he should not return to child care or to school until antibiotic treatment has been taken for at least one full day.

Keywords: strep throat sore throat children's health childhood diseases Group A streptococcal infections strep rheumatic fever Scarlet fever Syndenham's chorea