Strep Throat

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Strep Throat
Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on September 27, 2020
Next In Strep Throat Strep Throat Symptoms
Strep throat is an infection of the throat and tonsils caused by a bacteria called group A streptococcus , also known as Streptococcus pyogenes . This bacteria lives in the nose and throat. You can get the infection from someone who is sick with strep A bacteria or is a carrier of it.
A sore throat is the main sign you or your child has strep. Colds and other viruses can also cause a sore throat. One way to tell the difference is that a virus will often cause a runny nose too.
With strep, the sore throat comes on quickly and is more likely to cause these other symptoms as well:
Swollen and/or tender lymph nodes at the front of your neck
Tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth (called petechiae )
Call your doctor if you or a child in your care has these symptoms.
Signs that the infection might be viral rather than strep include having a:
Pinkeye (also called conjunctivitis)
Like other infections, strep throat spreads through close contact. When people who are sick cough or sneeze , they release droplets that hold the bacteria into the air.
You can infect yourself if you touch something a person with strep has coughed or sneezed upon and then brush your eyes , mouth, or nose with your hand. You can also get sick if you share a glass or other personal item with someone who has strep.
Strep is most common in children and teens . Adults sometimes get it too.
Your doctor will ask about your child's symptoms. The only sure way to tell strep from viruses that cause a sore throat is with a test. There are two kinds:
Rapid strep test: It can identify a case in just a few minutes. The doctor will gently hold down your child's tongue with a depressor. Then, they will use a cotton swab to take a sample from the back of the throat.
You'll get the results in 20 minutes or less. If the test is positive, which means strep is there, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat it.
If the test is negative, which means the strep bacteria could not be found, the doctor might send the sample to a lab for a follow-up that takes longer.
Throat culture: The doctor will rub a swab over the throat and tonsils to be sent to the lab. If your child has strep throat, streptococci bacteria will grow in it.
It usually takes about 2 days to get results from a throat culture. It can confirm whether your child has strep throat or not.
Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria that cause the infection. Most treatments last for about 10 days. The medicine can make your child's symptoms go away faster and help prevent complications.
Make sure your child takes all of the doses. Stopping the medicine too early can leave some bacteria alive. These can make your child sick again. Be sure to tell the doctor if your young one is allergic to any types of antibiotics.
If the strep test is negative, a virus likely caused the sore throat. Your child doesn't need antibiotics because these medications don't work on viruses.
You can also take medications to ease the pain of strep throat and lower fever including over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen . Don't give aspirin to children or teens. It can cause a rare but dangerous condition called Reye’s syndrome.
There are a number of things you can do at home to lessen pain and make you feel more comfortable:
Gargle with a mixture of a quarter-teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water.
Suck on a throat lozenge or piece of hard candy. Don't give small pieces of candy to children younger than 4.
Throw out your toothbrush and use a new one.
Drink warm liquids such as tea and broth and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration
Suck on something cold such as an ice pop or ice chips.
Choose soft foods that are easy to swallow such as soups, applesauce, or oatmeal. Pass on orange juice and other drinks that have a lot of acid. They'll sting.
Honey can help ease pain and inflammation .
Use a humidifier and/or saline nasal sprays to keep your airways moist, which will help you feel more comfortable.
Get lots of rest so that your body can recover from the infection
Have your child stay home from school or day care until the fever is gone and they have been on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours. Same for you and the workplace. Other tips:
Don't share cups, dishes, forks, or other personal items with someone who's sick.
Ask children to cover their mouths with a tissue or sleeve whenever they cough or sneeze.
Have everyone in the house wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer many times daily.
Strep complications are rare today, thanks to better diagnosis and treatment. Yet untreated strep can cause serious diseases, such as:
The infection spreading to the tonsils, sinuses , middle ear, the mastoid bone behind the ear (mastoiditis), skin or blood
Abscess around the tonsils or behind the throat. Called a peritonsillar abscess , it’s a collection of pus that can be extremely painful.
Other strep complications involve an inflammatory response in different parts of your body, including:
Scarlet fever , a red rash that can be small tiny pin pricks that are hard to see or intense redness on the body that gives it its name
Rheumatic fever , which can damage the heart , brain , and joints
A kidney disease called glomerulonephritis
Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis , which is inflammation in your joints
Another rare complication that is not well understood is a condition called PANDAS , which stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. It usually involves developing the tics and habits of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) after a strep infection or having symptoms of OCD worsen after a strep infection.
Guttate psoriasis , a skin condition in which tear drop scales appear on the surface of the skin. They may be red or silver in color and can be itchy.
American Academy of Family Physicians: "Strep Throat Diagnosis & Tests."
American Academy of Pediatrics: "Choking Prevention."
American Association for Clinical Chemistry: "Strep Throat Test."
CDC: "Is It Strep Throat?" “Strep Throat: All You Need to Know.”
Nemours Foundation: "Strep Throat."
PubMed Health: "Strep Throat," "Strep Throat: Treatments."
Seattle Children's Hospital: "Strep Throat."
Mayo Clinic: “Strep Throat,” “Scarlet Fever.”
Penn Medicine: “6 At-Home Remedies for Your Sore Throat.”
University of Utah Health: 4 Tell-Tale Signs You Have Strep Throat.”
Kids Health From Nemours: “Strep Throat.”
American Family Physician: “Peritonsillar Abscess.”
National Institute of Mental Health: PANDAS - Questions and Answers.”
Sores, discoloration, bumps and more.
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Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by group A Streptococcus or “group A strep.” People who are sick with strep throat are very contagious. In addition to a sore throat, symptoms can include pain when swallowing, a fever, red and swollen tonsils, tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth, or swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck. Your doctor can do a quick strep test to see if group A strep bacteria are causing your sore throat. If the test is positive, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics help you feel better sooner, prevent serious health problems, and help prevent spreading the bacteria to others.
People with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they no longer have a fever and have taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours. This will help prevent spreading the bacteria to others.
Wash your hands often to prevent the spread of germs that cause strep throat and other infections. Do not drink from the same glass, eat from the same plate, or share utensils with someone who is sick.
In addition to a sore throat, symptoms of strep throat can include pain when swallowing, a fever, red and swollen tonsils, tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth, or swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck.
If you have strep throat, antibiotics reduce your symptoms and the length of time you’re sick. Antibiotics may also prevent spreading the bacteria to others and prevent complications. Take the prescription exactly as your doctor tells you. Don’t stop taking the medicine, even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you to stop taking it.
People with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they no longer have a fever and have taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours. This will help prevent spreading the bacteria to others.
Wash your hands often to prevent the spread of germs that cause strep throat and other infections. Do not drink from the same glass, eat from the same plate, or share utensils with someone who is sick.
In addition to a sore throat, symptoms of strep throat can include pain when swallowing, a fever, red and swollen tonsils, tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth, or swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck.
If you have strep throat, antibiotics reduce your symptoms and the length of time you’re sick. Antibiotics may also prevent spreading the bacteria to others and prevent complications. Take the prescription exactly as your doctor tells you. Don’t stop taking the medicine, even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you to stop taking it.
People with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they no longer have a fever and have taken antibiotics for at least 12 hours. This will help prevent spreading the bacteria to others.
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Strep throat: All you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/strep-throat.html?CD. Accessed Dec. 2, 2020.
Pichichero ME. Complications of streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 2, 2020.
Sore throats. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. https://www.enthealth.org/conditions/sore-throats/. Accessed Dec. 2, 2020.
Pichichero ME. Treatment and prevention of streptococcal pharyngitis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 2, 2020.
AskMayoExpert. Streptococcal pharyngitis. Mayo Clinic; 2019.
Drutz JE. Acute pharyngitis in children and adolescents: Symptomatic treatment. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 2, 2020.
Wald ER. Group A streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis in children and adolescents: Clinical features and diagnosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 2, 2020.







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Your doctor will conduct a physical exam, look for signs and symptoms of strep throat, and probably order one or more of the following tests:
Medications are available to cure strep throat, relieve its symptoms, and prevent its complications and spread.
If your doctor diagnoses you or your child with strep throat, your doctor will likely prescribe an oral antibiotic. If taken within 48 hours of the onset of the illness, antibiotics reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, as well as the risk of complications and the likelihood that infection will spread to others.
With treatment, you or your child should start feeling better in a day or two. Call your doctor if there's no improvement after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.
Children taking an antibiotic who feel well and don't have a fever often can return to school or child care when they're no longer contagious — usually 24 hours after beginning treatment. But be sure to finish all the medicine. Stopping early can lead to recurrences and serious complications, such as rheumatic fever or kidney inflammation.
To relieve throat pain and reduce fever, try over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 3, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, in such children.
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In most cases, antibiotics will quickly wipe out the bacteria causing the infection. In the meantime, try these tips to relieve symptoms of strep throat:
When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as fasting before having a specific test. Make a list of:
Take along a family member or friend, if possible, to help you remember the information you're given.
For strep throat, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
Don't hesitate to ask other questions.
Your doctor is likely to ask a number of questions, including:
If you think you or your child might have a strep infection, take steps to relieve symptoms and avoid spreading infection:
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Medically Reviewed by Neha Pathak, MD on September 14, 2020
Lots of things can cause a sore through. One cause, especially in children and young adults, is the bacteria that creates strep throat . Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus) is the formal name of the bacterium.
Viruses can cause a sore throat too, including:
Other things that might cause y
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