Strep Throat Symptoms and Treatment

What is Strep Throat
Strep throat is a contagious bacterial Group A streptococcal infection which affects the pharynx. Anyone can get affected by strep throat, but it is almost always seen in children and adolescents between ages 5 to 15. Strep throat in adults is not so common.

Strep gets its name from the bacterium that causes the infection - Streptococcus. Another name for strep throat is streptococcal pharyngitis.

How Does Strep Throat Spread
Strep throat is very contagious. The streptococcal bacterium is found in the nose / throat of the infected person, and is spread through the air whenever the person coughs or sneezes. It is spread more easily in crowded rooms such as in classrooms or dormitories. If left untreated, the person suffering from strep throat can spread the bacteria for upto 3 weeks. Once treated with antibiotics the spread of the bacteria stops within 24 hours.

In rare instances milk and milk products are known to have spread the streptococcal bacteria.

Signs and Symptoms of Strep Throat
Persons suffering from strep throat will have one or more of the following strep throat symptoms.

-- Swollen bright red throat
-- Dark red spots on the back of the throat
-- Very sore throat
-- Sudden high fever
-- Tender, swollen lymph nodes
-- Pus on the tonsils
-- Grayish or whitish coating of the tonsils
-- Headache
-- Body pain
-- Nausea
-- Pain while swallowing
-- Appetite loss
-- Skin rash (scarlet fever)

These following symptoms when combined with one or more of the above symptoms could also be associated with strep throat.

-- Nasal congestion / discharge
-- Neck pain
-- Muscle pain
-- Stiff joints
-- Dull feeling

Strep throat in most persons is mild with only a few symptoms. If not treated when symptoms are recognized, it could get worse and the bacteria could produce toxins leading to a high fever accompanied by skin rash (scarlet fever).

It is not as easy to detect a strep throat as is to detect a sore throat (pharyngitis) or general cold. Sore throats are usually caused by a viral infection. A general cold is accompanied by symptoms such as a runny / stuffy nose, excessive sneezing, and coughing; all of these symptoms if not connected with one or more of the main symptoms, should not be linked with strep throat.

Treatment for Strep Throat
Visit your physician as soon as you notice any of the symptoms of strep throat. The physician will conduct a physical examination of your throat and if strep throat is suspected, a rapid strep test will be performed. This is usually sufficient for the physician to be sure of the bacterial presence, but if the test is not conclusive a throat culture could be done. Throat culture results take time, so if your physician suspects strep throat based on physical examination and the symptoms, medication could be started immediately.

A rapid strep test requires the physician to collect cells from the back of your throat on a cotton swab and test it right away. The entire process takes approximately 15 minutes. The problem with this test is that it is not always accurate. If the results are positive, the physician will start you on antibiotics immediately. If the results are negative and the symptoms and physical examination points towards strep throat, the physician will send for a throat culture, but will start you on medication immediately.

A throat culture requires cells from the back of your throat to be collected on a cotton swab and placed in a container that promotes the growth of the strep bacteria. If the bacteria is present, it will multiply, making the result positive. if not present, the result will be negative and the physician can check for other causes to the disease.

When strep throat is diagnosed and antibiotics prescribed, you must finish the entire course as prescribed. You will feel better after a couple of days of medication, but if you stop the medication, the bacteria will reappear and multiply, making treatment more difficult.

If you have gone through the entire antibiotic course, the bacteria will be totally destroyed and no further tests should be needed.