Strep throat
Strep throat is a type of pharyngitis caused by a particular strain of streptococcus bacteria, which is highly contagious and spreads easily through direct contact, including respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes. It predominantly affects young children and teenagers, particularly those aged five to fifteen. The condition is characterized by symptoms such as a red, sore throat, pain while swallowing, swollen tonsils, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever. Diagnosis typically involves culturing throat secretions to identify the bacteria, with modern methods providing results in just a few hours.
Effective treatment includes antibiotics like penicillin or erythromycin, which can significantly reduce symptoms within days. Supportive care measures, such as staying hydrated, using throat lozenges, and pain relievers, are also recommended. If left untreated, strep throat can lead to serious complications, including rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis, which may cause long-lasting damage to the heart and kidneys. Awareness of the symptoms and timely medical intervention are crucial to prevent these severe health risks.
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Strep throat
Also known as: Streptococcal pharyngitis
Anatomy or system affected: Ears, heart, joints, kidneys, throat
Definition: An acute, contagious, bacterial infection of the throat that often spreads to the ears and sinuses and that can seriously damage the heart and kidneys
Causes and Symptoms
Strep throat is pharyngitis that is caused by a specific strain of streptococcus bacteria. These bacteria are very common and are easily spread by direct, person-to-person contact. Droplets of saliva or nasal mucus from sneezes, coughs, and infected hands, cups, or utensils are frequent means of contact. Young children and teenagers, between the ages of five and fifteen, are at the highest risk. The prevalence of group A Streptococcus ranges from 4 to 20 percent in asymptomatic children under the age of eighteen and from 24 to 37 percent in children with sore throat.
After a short incubation period, the bacteria produce definite signs and symptoms: a red sore throat with pain on swallowing, swollen and pus-filled tonsils, enlarged lymph nodes along the jawline and down the neck, and a fever. These symptoms may be milder in younger children less than three years of age, and some may show no symptoms at all. Difficulty in diagnosis may arise from distinguishing strep throat from other bacterial or viral infections.
It is critical, however, to make the diagnosis early. Left untreated, strep infections can have serious consequences for the heart and kidneys. More commonly, the throat problem will spread to the sinuses and ears.
Treatment and Therapy
Strep throat can be differentiated from other throat infections using the technique of sampling (culturing) throat secretions by rubbing the back of the throat with a swab and testing them with special substances that detect this specific strain of bacteria. Testing methods in the twenty-first century provide results in a few hours, instead of days.
Supportive care through increased fluid intake, warm salt-water gargles, throat lozenges, the use of a humidifier, and pain- and fever-reducers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are recommended. Antibiotics such as penicillin and erythromycin are the drugs of choice once a definitive diagnosis of strep throat has been made. Symptoms generally subside within a few days. The most feared complication of strep throat is its spread through the blood to the joints and heart, causing rheumatic fever, and to the kidneys, causing glomerulonephritis. Rheumatic fever can seriously and permanently damage the heart valves, while glomerulonephritis can result in kidney failure. Before the development of antibiotics, many children suffered these complications.
Bibliography
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Strep Throat: All You Need to Know." U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 6 Jan. 2023, www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/strep-throat.html. Accessed 15 July 2023.
Children’s Hospital Boston. The Children’s Hospital Guide to Your Child’s Health and Development. Perseus, 2001.
Nathanson, Laura Walther. The Portable Pediatrician. 2nd ed. Quill, 2002.
Shaikh, Nader, Erica Leonard, and Judith M. Martin. "Prevalence of Streptococcal Pharyngitis and Streptococcal Carriage in Children: A Meta-analysis." Pediatrics, vol. 126, no. 3, 2010, pp. E557–64.
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Vincent, Miriam T. “Sore Throat—Strep Throat? When to Worry.” Pediatrics for Parents 21.8 (2004): 11–12. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 12 May 2016.