Meet Streptococcus: From Simple Sore Throat to Tissue Destruction
Streptococcus is a bacterium, the number one cause of bacterial throat infections. What are the complications? How is it treated? How can infection be prevented?
Distinguishing Between Two Types of Sore Throats:
Viral Sore Throat is the most common type, accounting for 80% or more of sore throat cases. It's caused by a virus entering the throat and settling near the tonsils. Cold and flu viruses can cause it.
Symptoms include general malaise, throat pain, difficulty swallowing, runny nose, hoarseness, headache, and extreme fatigue. Signs of the infection are redness in the throat, high fever, and white spots on the tonsils.
Bacterial Sore Throat is caused by bacteria entering the throat. The most common bacteria causing throat infections is group A Streptococcus.
How is it contracted?
The bacteria can be spread through nasal and throat secretions, potentially infecting others through shared utensils, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or contact with contaminated hands.
Complications:
The bacteria can continue to multiply on the skin, leading to necrosis that requires surgical removal. It can also lead to "toxic shock syndrome," a life-threatening condition causing severe infection and, if untreated, death.
Weeks after infection, the bacteria might trigger an antibody storm that attacks body elements, potentially damaging heart valves and joints (rheumatic fever), or causing kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis).
Diagnosis:
Through a throat culture, bacteria are examined on a growth medium. This method identifies the bacteria within 24-48 hours and is considered highly accurate.
Treatment:
Antibiotics are ineffective for viral sore throat. However, if there is a high suspicion of bacterial infection or a proven bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment is indicated. The drug of choice is Penicillin V (Rafapen). The recommended duration of treatment is ten days.
While bacterial sore throat often resolves without antibiotics, treating every streptococcal throat infection is advisable to prevent complications like rheumatic fever. Antibiotics have not been proven to prevent post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Preventing Infection:
Streptococcus is one of the most common bacteria worldwide, with millions carrying it unknowingly. Given its contagious nature, predicting or preventing infection is challenging. The only way to prevent infection is through maximum hygiene. Currently, no vaccine exists for the bacteria.
Avoid contact with nasal and throat secretions, shared utensils, kissing, sneezing, or coughing.
