Strep throat

What is strep throat?

Strep throat (also known as Strep A pharyngitis) is an infection caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus. Your symptoms might include an inflamed, sore throat and tonsils, fever, swollen glands, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting. The pain in your throat usually starts suddenly.

Most cases resolve within seven to ten days with treatment.

Who gets strep throat?

Strep throat can affect anyone, but it’s more common in people who come in contact with a school-aged child, like parents, siblings, teachers, and caregivers. It’s also more common in children (most commonly those aged 5 to 15) than adults.

People working or living in crowded environments like daycare, prisons, homeless shelters, and military bases are also more likely to develop strep throat.¹

How common is strep throat?

Strep throat is pretty common. It’s the reason behind around 2.8 million prescriptions for antibiotics annually in the US. However, its prevalence varies with age, being most common in children aged five to 15 and rare in children younger than three years old. Strep throat is also more common in winter and spring.²

What causes strep throat?

Group A Streptococcus bacteria—of which there are more than 120 strains—are responsible for strep throat. This makes strep throat a bacterial infection, which is different from sore throat, which is most commonly caused by viral infections.

What are the symptoms of strep throat?

The primary symptoms of strep throat are inflammation of the throat and tonsils, and a sore throat. It might also give you trouble swallowing, fever, chills, headache, bad breath, swollen neck glands, loss of appetite, redness in the back of your mouth, nausea, vomiting, and a mild cough.

If you have severe symptoms, like difficulty breathing, drooling, or you’re making a high-pitched sound when you breathe (known as stridor), you should seek immediate medical attention.

Can strep throat lead to other problems?

Strep throat won’t usually lead to any other problems, but if left untreated, it can lead to more serious conditions like kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever (symptoms include: swollen joints, heart inflammation, skin rash, small, painless lumps under the skin). So make sure you see your doctor if it’s not going away after a week or you have troubling symptoms.

It might also cause you some issues if you are “immunosuppressed” (have a weakened immune system), so you should also contact a doctor for advice if you have HIV or are undergoing treatment that weakens your immune system, like chemotherapy.