1) Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the palatine tonsils caused by bacterial or viral infection. It is commonly found in children and young adults.
2) Symptoms include sore throat, fever, swollen tonsils, and pain when swallowing. Chronic tonsillitis presents with recurrent sore throats.
3) Diagnosis involves examining the throat for swollen, red tonsils and potentially testing for strep infection. The severity of tonsil enlargement is graded on a scale from T1 to T4.