Strep Throat

What it is

Strep throat is a bacterial infection in the throat and tonsils.

Worried your sore throat may be strep throat?‎

Viruses cause most sore throats. Only around 1 in 10 adults and 3 in 10 children with a sore throat have strep throat.

Symptoms

It usually takes 2 to 5 days after exposure to become ill with strep throat.

Common symptoms may include:

• Fever

• Pain when swallowing

• Red and swollen tonsils

• Sore throat that started very quickly and may look red

• Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck

• Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth, called petechiae

• White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils

Less common symptoms, but which can present more in children, may include:

• Headache

• Nausea or vomiting

• Rash (scarlet fever)

• Stomach pain

Risk factors

Anyone can get strep throat, but some factors increase the risk of getting it.

Age

Strep throat is more common in children than adults.

• Most common: Children 5 through 15 years old

• Rare: Children younger than 3 years old

Close contact

Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. For example, if someone has strep throat, the bacteria often spread to other people in their household.

Contact with children: Parents of school-age children and adults who are often in contact with children are at increased risk.

How it spreads

Group A strep bacteria are very contagious. Some people infected with group A strep bacteria don't have symptoms or seem sick. They can still spread the bacteria to others.

Generally, people spread the bacteria to others through respiratory droplets or direct contact. Rarely group A strep bacteria can be spread through food that isn't handled properly.

Respiratory droplets

Group A strep bacteria often live in the nose and throat. People who are infected spread the bacteria by talking, coughing, or sneezing. This creates respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria.

People can get sick if they:

• Breathe in respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria

• Touch their mouth or nose after touching something with those droplets on it

• Use the same plate, utensils, or glass as someone infected with the bacteria.  (*Once washed, plates, utensils, and glasses are safe for others to use.)

Direct contact

People can also spread group A strep bacteria from infected sores on the skin (impetigo). Other people can get sick if they touch those sores or come into contact with fluid from the sores.  (*Once the sores heal, someone with impetigo usually isn't able to spread the bacteria to others.)

Complications

Complications can occur after a strep throat infection if the bacteria spread to other parts of the body.

Complications can include:

• Abscesses (pockets of pus) around the tonsils or in the neck

• Ear infections

• Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (a kidney disease)

• Rheumatic fever (a disease affecting the heart, joints, brain, skin)

• Sinus infections

Similar conditions

Viral sore throat

The following symptoms typically suggest a virus, not strep throat, is the cause of a sore throat:

• Cough

• Runny nose

• Hoarseness (changes in voice to sound breathy, raspy or strained)

• Conjunctivitis ("pink eye")

Reference: 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

American Academy of Pediatrics Strep throat information & treatment