1. Just a Sore Throat or Strep Slideshow
2. Take the Strep Throat Infection Quiz!
3. Infectious Mononucleosis Slideshow

Medical Author:

John Mersch, MD, FAAP

John Mersch, MD, FAAP

Dr. Mersch received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, and prior to entering the University Of Southern California School Of Medicine, was a graduate student (attaining PhD candidate status) in Experimental Pathology at USC. He attended internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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In this Article

• Strep throat facts
• What is strep throat?
• What causes a sore throat?
• What are tonsils and tonsillitis?
• What are pharynx and pharyngitis?
• Viral causes of throat infection
• Bacterial causes of throat infection
• How common is strep throat?
• Is strep throat contagious?
• What are the signs and symptoms of strep throat?
• Are strep throat symptoms different in children compared to adults?
• When should I be concerned about a possible strep throat?
• How is strep throat diagnosed?
• Who should be tested for strep throat?
• How is strep infection treated?
• How can viral throat infection be treated?
• Are there any recommended strep throat remedies and symptom reducers?
• When should the tonsils be removed?
• Why is it very important to detect and treat a strep throat?
• What are the potential complications of untreated strep throat infection?
• Is there a vaccine for strep throat?
• Can strep throat be prevented?
• Just a Sore Throat or Strep - Slideshow
• Take the Strep Throat Infection Quiz!
• Infectious Mononucleosis - Slideshow
• Strep Throat (Streptococcal) Infection FAQs
• Patient Comments: Strep Throat - Diagnosis
• Patient Comments: Strep Throat - Treatment
• Patient Comments: Strep Throat - Home Remedies for Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Strep Throat - Length Symptoms Lasted
• Strep Throat Index

Some of the general and constitutional symptoms of strep throat infection may vary quite a bit depending on the patient's age.

• Infants primarily experience a thick "colorful" (yellow or green) drainage from the nose and possibly a low-grade fever, with fussiness, irritability, and a decrease in appetite.
• Children aged one to three ("toddlers") may complain of a sore throat, trouble swallowing, poor appetite, crankiness, and swollen glands (lymph nodes) beneath the jaws.
• Older children and adolescents generally look and feel awful with strep throat. They can have high fevers, very painful throats, often severe difficulty swallowing, and pus, which can sometimes be seen covering the tonsils.
• Adults with strep throat may have milder symptoms, and in some cases the illness may be undetected. Symptoms vary; adults may also have severe pain and trouble swallowing.

Parents should be concerned about a sore throat that is accompanied by a headache, high fever, stomachache, vomiting, or severe tiredness. The presence of a red, somewhat rough-to-the-touch rash associated with the above symptoms also should suggest the need for medical evaluation.

An urgent call to the doctor's office or emergency room visit is appropriate in a child who has extreme difficulty swallowing associated with drooling or is experiencing difficulty breathing.