Throat Infections

Throat Infection Common Presentations

Normal Throat

Classic Strep.

Please notice the enlarged tonsils with whitish grayish exudate. The strawberry tongue and patchy red bleeding dots (Petechiae).

Note the swollen tender lymph nodes.

Peritonsillar Abscess

The untreated infection can progress to form a pocket of pus pushing the tonsil to the opposite side,note the bulging of the soft palate and the deviated Uvula.

Treatment is surgical drainage of the abscess in ER or OR

Aphthous Ulcer

Single or multiple shallow painful ulcer, its cause is not very clear , it can occur without any obvious disease but it may happen with autoimmune diseases or can be a sign of weak immune system such as HIV

Viral Pharyngitis

Some viral infections cause painful throat with pin head vesicles that turn to ulcers in atypical locations

These conditions are:

Herpangina, Hand, foot and mouth disease and Herpes Simplex I

Infectious Mono

should be suspected in a teenager who has persistent tonsillitis with enlarged neck lymph nodes (may have enlarged liver and spleen)who fails antibiotics treatment. Cytomegalovirus can have similar presentation.

Pharyngitis & Tonsillitis

5 to 15% of throat infections are caused by Bacteria the rest are viral thus most throat infections are viral
The viral causes are Rhinoviruses, Corona ,Influenza, Parainfluenza and Adenoviruses
The most common bacterial cause is Streptococcus Pyogenes A
Strep C & G cause minority of bacterial infections
Fusobacterium Necrophorum is becoming prevalent among adolescent and young adults
Throat examination alone is not enough to diagnose or to rule out Strep.
Strep can cause tonsils swelling with exudate (white gray patches) or just mild throat redness
Strep Testing is recommended if you have 3 of the following: 1- fever 2-swollen lymph nodes 3- pus on the tonsils 4-lack of cough or cold symptoms
Oral antibiotics are indicated if you have all 4 symptoms(above) even with negative Strep test
Treatment for Strep or bacterial infection is best with penicillins or cephalosporins if there is Penicillin allergy Clindamycin NOT Azithromycin is recommended
A single dose of oral steroids (prednisone) is recommended if there is significant throat swelling
Some Viral infections like infectious mono can mimic Strep and cause tonsils enlargement with whitish patches.
Sexually transmitted diseases can cause sore throat ( Herpes ,Gonorrhea and Syphillis)
Throat bacterial culture is indicated in selected cases not all
Rarely other bacteria can be the cause of persistent sore throat like C. Diphtheriae
Peritonsillar abscess is a complication of severe untreated throat infection and requires ER visit and surgical drainage
Recurrent infection in children with cryptic tonsils(tonsils with pockets that makes infection eradication difficult) my require ENT consultation for possible tonsillectomy.
Recurrent or chronic Strep infection is associated with increased risk for Rheumatic Fever (heart valve damage) or Glomerulonephritis (Kidney inflammation and damage).

Visit Medical Care 1 Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic in Ypsilanti. No appointments needed and No waiting time. Meet your Doctor Online. we offer Telemedicine and we are a COVID-19 Testing Center.

If you have throat pain and have any of the symptoms above, Contact Medical Care One is an urgent care and Walk-in clinic in Ypsilanti.

All Walk-ins are welcome and no Appointment Necessary. Can’t make it to the urgent care? Meet your doctor online with Telemedicine.