تعريف

Strep throat is a bacterial throat infection.

التهاب الحلق

أسباب

Strep throat is caused by the bacterium الأبراج العقدية. It is spread by airborne droplets, most often from:

  • Coughing and sneezing of people who have strep throat
  • Touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth

عوامل الخطر

عامل الخطر هو الشيء الذي يزيد من فرصتك في الإصابة بمرض أو حالة.

Risk factors for strep throat include:

  • Age: school-aged children
  • Family member or friend who has strep throat

الأعراض

Symptoms of strep throat include:

  • Red, sore throat with white patches
  • Painful, difficult swallowing
  • قشعريرة
  • الصداع
  • Swollen, sore glands in the neck
  • حمى
  • Nausea and possibly vomiting
  • قلة الشهية
  • متسرع
  • Muscle aches, especially in the neck, and abdominal pains, especially in younger children
  • تعب

التشخيص

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Tests to detect strep throat may be used and include:

  • Throat culture—Sample of throat secretions is cultured in the laboratory. It takes a few days to gets results.
  • Rapid antigen strep screen—The results are available in minutes. The test is based on detection of antigens; however, a negative test does not exclude the diagnosis of strep throat.
  • Rapid DNA test—Using DNA technology to detect strep throat, this test is as accurate as throat culture. The results are usually available in one day.

While only a, rapid DNA test or throat culture can confidently distinguish strep throats from those caused by virus infection, doctors will make a diagnosis and decide about treatment primarily by careful evaluation of symptoms and physical findings.

العلاج

Antibiotic Medications

Almost all sore throats—including strep—will get better on their own in 7-10 days. Strep throat improves more rapidly with antibiotics than without. (Antibiotics do not affect the healing of sore throats due to virus infection.) Given as a pill or a shot, types of antibiotics include penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, azithromycin, or cephalosporin antibiotics. Symptoms begin to disappear after only a few doses, but it is crucial that you finish the entire prescription.

Serious complications of undertreated strep throat include:

  • Kidney damage (glomerulonephritis)
  • Scarlet fever
  • الحمى الروماتيزمية
  • Tonsillitis or peritonsillar abscess
  • Ear or sinus infection

Antibiotics are typically given to prevent the complication of rheumatic fever from occurring after strep throat infection. In many communities, neither azithromycin nor erythromycin are reliably effective in treating strep throat or preventing rheumatic fever due to resistance of the bacteria.

Over-the-Counter Pain Medications

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help relieve sore throat and muscle aches and pains.

ملحوظة: لا ينصح بتناول الأسبرين الأطفال أو المراهقين with a current or recent viral infection. This is because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome. Ask your doctor which other medicines are safe for your child.

If your are diagnosed with strep throat, follow your doctor’s instructions.

الوقاية

To reduce your chances of getting strep throat:

  • Wash your hands carefully.
  • Don’t share beverages or food.
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