Strep Throat
By: Alex Duncan
How is Strep Throat contracted
This bacteria is located in the nose or the throat. If you touch your mouth, nose, or eyes after touching something that has these droplets on it, you may become ill. Even if you drink in the same glass of a person that is infected, you then can be infected as well.
What is Strep Throat
Strep Throat is a infection in the throat caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria (called "group A strep").
Symptoms of Strep Throat
Sandpaper-like rash
One of the many symptoms of Strep Throat is to get A sandpaper-like rash.
Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
Most of the people who have Strep Throat will get swollen tonsils, and sometimes white streaks on the back of the tongue
Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
You will get swollen places on the front and side of your neck due to swelling in the Throat. As it is also hard for one to breathe
Health effects of Strep Throat
One of the health effects from the Strep Throat are Scarlet Fever, This illness affects a small percentage of people who have strep throat or, less commonly, streptococcal skin infections. Scarlet fever is treatable with antibiotics and usually is a mild illness, but it needs to be treated to prevent rare but serious long-term health problems. Treatment with antibiotics also helps clear up symptoms faster and reduces spread to other people
How is Strep Throat treated
Antibiotics are not needed to treat most sore throats, which usually improve on their own within 1–2 weeks. Antibiotics will not help if a sore throat is caused by a virus or irritation from the air. Antibiotic treatment in these cases may cause harm in both children and adults. Your healthcare professional may prescribe other medicine or give you tips to help with other symptoms like fever and coughing.
Antibiotics are needed if a healthcare professional diagnoses you or your child with strep throat, which is caused by bacteria. This diagnosis can be done using a quick swab of the throat. Strep throat cannot be diagnosed by looking in the throat—a lab test must be done.
Antibiotics are prescribed for strep throat to prevent rheumatic fever