Strept throat ( streptococcus pyogenes)

Strept throat

Causative agent of strept throat:

Pharyngitis is caused by wide range of causative agents and bacterial infection represents 30% of them .These bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae ,Arcanobacterium haemolyticum but streptococci  are the most dominant one including streptococci group A and  streptococcus pyogenes . According to study published in 2014 ,strept throat is caused by streptococcus pyogenes.

Strept throat symptoms:

Throat pain and may associated with difficulty in swallowing.

Moderate fever

Headache

Body ache

Abdominal pain

Nausea 

Vomiting

Tonsils inflammation and may covered by grey white membrane and exudate(pus).

The infection may extend to sinus ,skin,middle ear or blood and also  may cause   inflammatory reactions in different organs such as kidney ,joints causing artheritis or rheumatic fever which affect different organs including heart ,nervous system ,joints and skin.

Strept throat complications:

Leaving strept throat without proper treatment in children may lead to toxic shock -like syndrome due to bacteremia (presence of bacteria in blood ).

Strept throat transmission:

It is a contiguous disease.It transmits by:

1-Respiration of infected droplets from sneezing,coughing of infected person .

2-Eating or drinking after infected one .

3-Touching of skin sores infected by streptococcus.

People at risk:

Strept throat is most common between children from 5 to 15 years old and rare below 3 years old .In adult mostly found in those contact to children.

Diagnosis and treatment of strept throat:

The doctor will check your throat and make a rapid test ( streptococcal screening test).This test will take 10 minutes .If the result becomes positive ,the doctor will ask you to drink warm fluids and he will write antibiotic course .This will take from 5 to 7 days .But if the result becomes negative you will need to make a throat culture.

Prevention and control of strept throat:

Proper washing of your hand at least for 20 minutes or use alcohol.

Use a tissue during cough and sneezing 

Don't use utensils of infected person without proper washing 

Vaccination:

Until now there isn't vaccine to group A streptococcus. 

Prophylaxis:

Mostly ,people shouldn't receive antibiotics if they contact with infected persons but in some case they should receive prophylaxis treatment.

Differential diagnosis:

Other causes may cause sore throat such as :

Viral infection 

Common cold 

Acid reflux

Sinus infection 

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