Strep throat is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. It commonly infects children between ages 5-15 and spreads through contact with fluids from the nose or mouth. Symptoms include red and white patches in the throat, difficulty swallowing, fever, headaches and stomach pain. The bacteria normally lives harmlessly in the nose and throat but can overgrow and cause infection when the immune system is weakened by stress or a prior viral infection. Strep throat is diagnosed through rapid testing and treated with antibiotics like penicillin to prevent complications. Proper hand washing is important to avoid spreading the contagious bacteria.
3. Who gets this disease?
● Kids who are from ages 5-15 usually
contract this disease
● commonly spread amongst household or
family members
● spread by person to person contact with
fluids from nose or saliva.
4. Symptoms
● red/white patches in the throat
● difficulty swallowing
● swollen lymph nodes in neck
● red/enlarged tonsils
● lower/stomach pain
● headaches
● fever over 101 degrees
● loss of appetite
● rashes (rare)
6. Pathology
Streptococcus pyogenes is the most frequent
pathogens among humans.
Lives in some of us without us ever knowing
Infects the locals cells when defenses are down
The damage done to the local cells causes strep
throat.
7. Pathology
Group A streptococcus pyogenes numbers
are limited due to competition with other
microbes. Certain conditions cause this
environment to change
1. viral infections
2. stress
These allow the number of strep bacteria to
increase.
8. Treatment
● Diagnosed at the doctors with an
immediate strep test.
● antibiotics- (penicillin, cephalexin, and
amoxicillin.
● no long term prognosis
● the antibiotics prevent rare complications
● make sure you have it before using
antibiotics
9. Just for Fun
● Sore throats are caused by viral infections,
not strep bacteria.
● Sore throats caused by a virus can be just
as painful as strep throat
● If you have cold symptoms, you most
likely do not have strep throat. Just a very
bad sore throat
10. FYI...
Since strep throat can be spread person to
person, it is very important that you wash
your hands daily and be cautious of what
you are touching without washing them. It
can easily be spread by touching a doorknob
or shaking someone's hand.
11. Works cited
"Strep Throat - What Is Strep Throat?" WebMD. WebMD,
27 July 2010. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.
University of Wisconsin Bacteria department- http:
//textbookofbacteriology.net/themicrobialworld/strep.
html
