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" What it is The most common bacterial cause of sore throat, caused by Group A streptococcus. It may also be referred to as streptococcal pharyngitis and can be contracted even if your tonsils have been removed. Symptoms Adult symptoms are usually similar to but milder than a child&amp;#039;s and may include: -Sore, red throat -Nasal congestion or discharge -Sudden fever -Difficulty swallowing -General malaise, discomfort and muscle pain -Swollen lymph nodes in the neck -Loss of appetite -Nausea Prevention Wash your hands frequently if you or a family member have been diagnosed, since direct contact with saliva or nasal discharge spreads germs. Avoid sharing utensils, glasses and toothbrushes. If repeated cases of strep occur, ask your doctor about testing each member of your family for the bacteria. Someone may be a carrier without getting sick. Buy a new toothbrush after you have finished your antibiotics and are no longer contagious. Diagnosis Not all sore throats are caused by strep bacteria, but if yours is more painful than usual, or if you have other symptoms (especially a fever), see a doctor. Diagnosis is often made by identifying white or yellow spots of pus on the back of the throat, but a throat culture is needed to confirm this diagnosis. A swab is used to take fluids from the back of the throat (a rapid strep test). This is analyzed under a microscope and results are available in about 15 minutes. If the test is negative, you may need a follow-up throat culture, which is sent to a lab for results. Watch out for\u2026 Untreated or resistant strep can result in serious complications. Call your doctor immediately if you have difficulty breathing (which could be a sign of pneumonia) or if you experience severe joint swelling, redness or warmth (a possible sign of rheumatic fever, which damages heart valves). Treatment Penicillin, Zithromax (azithromycin) or Biaxin (clarithromycin) are most commonly prescribed. Most people are contagious until they have been on an antibiotic for 24 hours, so stay home if you&amp;#039;re sick. Once you take the antibiotic, you should feel better within a few days, but always finish the prescription so the bacteria are eliminated completely and not just suppressed. Call your doctor if you don&amp;#039;t improve after two or three days. -While the antibiotic is taking effect, at-home remedies may help you feel better. -Regularly sip water and suck on lozenges to keep your throat moist. -Use a cool mist vaporizer to relieve dryness. -Try ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to alleviate pain, or gargle with warm salt water several times a day. &amp;quot;Although most sore throats are caused by a virus, call your doctor if you have an accompanying fever, since this may be an indication that you have strep.&amp;quot;Yosef Krespi, M.D. Chairman of the department of otolaryngology, St. Luke&amp;#039;s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City WANT TO KNOW MORE? Log on to: www.cdc.gov; www.nih.gov; www.entnet.org. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/womens-health/a20/checkup-strep-throat/>