New Zealanders at high risk of developing rheumatic fever — a serious complication of strep throat — should have any sore throat checked by a doctor.
A person is considered to be at high risk of getting rheumatic fever if they or a family or household member has had rheumatic fever before, or they meet two or more of the following criteria:. In New Zealand, sore throats are among the top 10 symptoms for which patients go to their doctor. Sore throats are often associated with a viral infection like colds and flu , and may develop into tonsillitis. A viral sore throat will usually get better by itself and has a low likelihood of complications.
A sore throat caused by bacteria, however, has a higher chance of complication and requires more attention. A sore throat in children that is accompanied by headache, high fever, stomach ache, vomiting, or severe tiredness, with or without a red rash, indicates the need for a visit to a family GP. Although many types of bacteria can cause throat infections, Streptococcus, or strep, is the most common.
Strep throat is contagious. It is spread by close contact with an infected person, often by inhaling airborne droplets from an infected person's coughs and sneezes. It can also be spread through shared food or drinks. Family homes and school and university hostels, provide an ideal environment for the transmission of strep throat from one person to another. Symptoms of strep throat develop one to four days after exposure to the bacteria via airborne droplets or by direct contact with an infected person.
The most characteristic symptoms of strep throat are sore throat and painful swallowing. Other symptoms include:. Some people will develop a red skin rash that feels rough to the touch. The rash usually appears first on the chest and may spread to the neck, stomach, and arms.
A strep throat infection accompanied by this distinctive rash is known as scarlet fever. The rash is caused by toxins produced by the Streptococcus bacteria. Potential complications of untreated strep throat infection include middle ear infection otitis media , sinus infection sinusitis , pneumonia, meningitis, kidney disease, and rheumatic fever. Of these, rheumatic fever and kidney disease are of most concern.
Rheumatic fever is a serious but preventable complication of strep throat. This immune response may cause inflammation in the brain, heart, joints and skin. This is rheumatic fever and it usually occurs two to four weeks after a strep throat infection. The most serious consequence of rheumatic fever is that inflammation affecting the heart can cause scarring of the heart valves, necessitating heart valve replacement surgery.
Prompt diagnosis and rapid treatment of strep throat with antibiotics can prevent rheumatic fever. It usually occurs one to three weeks after a strep throat infection, and typically resolves on its own within several days without causing any long-term kidney damage. Children are at the highest risk of developing this condition following a strep throat infection.
You may have heard of scarlet fever. That can be something that happens after strep. It can cause kidney issues, heart issues, and those are rare things, but they do happen in people who do not have strep treated. Interview: And what would be the difference between recovery time not treated and antibiotics?
Madsen: That's a great question and it's probably subject to a little bit of controversy. There's more out there suggesting that antibiotics may shorten the duration of strep by maybe a day. Madsen: I know.
It's so surprising. And a lot of times, the antibiotics, it's even more maybe in kids to prevent some of these complications I talked about, but more stuff that's come out is suggesting maybe even in adults, it may shorten the symptoms by a bit, maybe get you back to work in four days instead of five, but it may not be that magic pill we've talked about.
There are even some people who have argued maybe in adults, you don't treat it with antibiotics. Again, there's a little bit of a controversial area, something that's been subject to more research that I've seen more kind of come out on and more people trying to sort out what exactly do we do with this. But I think in kids, it's probably a bigger deal because of those complications I mentioned. In adults, I'm not suggesting necessarily you tough it out, but also don't expect that you're going to take antibiotics and within 12 hours you're going to feel great.
You're going to continue to feel sore and continue to have a sore throat for probably at least a few days after starting antibiotics. Interview: Alright. So you can choose to treat it or not, it sounds like. If somebody's asking you for advice, "Should I take the antibiotics? I mean this is where it gets into that thing about your kind of own experience versus what does the data say? What does the research say? Madsen: Yeah, if someone comes to the ER and I diagnosed them with strep, I recommend they take antibiotics.
And I'm doing that in part because they've come in seeking help, it's going to shorten the duration of their symptoms at least a little bit. It probably helps, also, to decrease the transmission of the bacteria. I think it's going to assist with that. My recommendation is to be treated, to take the antibiotics, and, at this point, I can't say that I would feel comfortable just absolutely saying, "Don't treat it; don't worry about antibiotics; tough it out; you'll be fine.
Announcer: Have a question about a medical procedure? Want to learn more about a health condition? Check it out at TheScopeRadio. Talk to a doctor if you think you or your child may be a strep carrier. Complications can occur after a strep throat infection. This can happen if the bacteria spread to other parts of the body. Complications can include:. People can get strep throat more than once. Having strep throat does not protect someone from getting it again in the future. While there is no vaccine to prevent strep throat, there are things people can do to protect themselves and others.
The best way to keep from getting or spreading group A strep is to wash your hands often. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing and before preparing foods or eating. To practice good hygiene, you should:. You should also wash glasses, utensils, and plates after someone who is sick uses them.
These items are safe for others to use once washed. Take the prescription exactly as the doctor says to. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages.
On This Page. The most common symptoms of strep throat include: Sore throat that can start very quickly Pain when swallowing Fever Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus Tiny, red spots petechiae — pronounced pi-TEE-kee-eye on the roof of the mouth the soft or hard palate Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck Other symptoms may include a headache, stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting — especially in children.
The following symptoms suggest a virus is the cause of the illness instead of strep throat: Cough Runny nose Hoarseness changes in your voice that makes it sound breathy, raspy, or strained Conjunctivitis also called pink eye It usually takes two to five days for someone exposed to group A strep to become ill. Children and Certain Adults Are at Increased Risk Anyone can get strep throat, but there are some factors that can increase the risk of getting this common infection.
Adults who are at increased risk for strep throat include: Parents of school-aged children Adults who are often in contact with children Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. These settings include: Schools Daycare centers Military training facilities.
Strep Throat: More Common in Children. Up to 3 in 10 children with a sore throat have strep throat About 1 in 10 adults with a sore throat has strep throat. Top of Page.
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