What is Strep Throat?

Group A Streptococcal bacteria is the most common bacterial cause of the severe sore throat known commonly as "strep throat." It occurs mostly in school age children, but people of all ages are susceptible. (Strep throat constitutes only about 12% of all sore throat cases seen by doctors.)

The symptoms of strep throat include the following:

• A sudden onset of severe sore throat
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Fever
• Headache
• Stomach pain
• Vomiting

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Only about half of patients with strep throat have such clear-cut symptoms. Furthermore, half of people who have these symptoms do not actually have strep throat.

How Is Strep Throat Diagnosed?

Most cold-related sore throats are caused by viruses and require no treatment. They usually do not last more than a day. When the sore throat persists and is very painful the doctor will want to rule out or confirm the presence of the strep bacteria.

• The doctor will look for redness and pus-filled patches on the tonsils and back of the throat. Enlarged tonsils are less likely to indicate a strep throat.
• The doctor will feel the sides of the neck for swollen lymph nodes. If the lymph nodes are not swollen, it is less likely to be a strep throat.
• A cotton swab is used to take a sample of pus in the throat for a throat culture.

A throat culture is the most effective and least expensive test for confirming the presence of strep throat. It takes between 24 hours and 48 hours to obtain a result.