Sore Throat/Strep Throat
The pain and discomfort of a sore throat, also called pharyngitis (fair-un-JY-tis), are usually the result of inflammation due to infection or irritation.
Strep throat is caused by bacteria in the Streptococcus (strep-to-KOK-us) family. Its main symptoms are sore throat and fever. The medical term for strep throat is streptococcal pharyngitis.
What Is a Sore Throat?
A sore throat can be a symptom of many infectious diseases. Viral infections such as the common cold, influenza, adenovirus infection, and infectious mononucleosis cause most sore throats. Bacterial infections are less common, but the sore throats they produce usually are more severe. Group A beta hemolytic streptococci (he-muh-LIH-tik strep-tuh-KAН-kye) are the most common bacterial culprits, and they cause strep throat. Rarely, fungal infections can cause a sore throat, usually in people with a weakened immune system. Non-infectious causes of sore throat include allergies, postnasal drip (the dripping of mucus from the back of the nose into the throat), and too much yelling or straining the voice. Smoking and other irritants can also cause a sore throat.
Are Sore Throats Common?
Sore throats are very common, especially in children. It is not unusual for children between the 5 and 10 years of age to develop several sore throat infections over the course of a year. Most of these illnesses are common viral respiratory infections. About 15 percent of all sore throats are caused by group A streptococci.
All of the infections that cause sore throats are contagious. They can spread through contact with drops of fluid from an infected person that can be coughed or sneezed into the air. The drops can be inhaled or transferred by the hand to the mouth or nose. The infections that cause sore throats also can spread through direct contact with an infected person,
such as through kissing.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Viral Sore Throat?
Sore throats are painful, sometimes swollen, and red. Many viral infections that cause sore throats are associated with other symptoms, including hoarseness, runny nose, cough, and diarrhea.
Sore throat is a common symptom of infectious mononucleosis, a viral infection caused by the Epstein-Barr (EP-steen BAR) virus. The tonsils become very swollen and may have white patches or an extensive coating. Swallowing is difficult, and in a few cases, the tonsils enlarge enough to cause difficulty breathing. Other signs and symptoms of mononucleosis include swollen lymph nodes in the neck, fever, extreme tiredness, muscle aches, and an enlarged spleen.
What Are the Symptoms of Strep Throat?
People with strep throat feel generally weak and tired. The tonsils often are enlarged, there may be white specks and pus on them, or they may be covered with a gray or white coating. Other symptoms of strep throat include high fever; headache; enlarged and tender lymph nodes in the neck; and abdominal pain.
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