Commonly, it causes throat infection (pharyngitis), tonsil infection (tonsillitis), scarlet fever, skin sores (impetigo) and skin infection (cellulitis). Rarely, it can cause serious, potentially life-threatening infections which are also known as invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS).
Left untreated, strep throat can lead to kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever, a serious illness that can cause stroke and permanent damage to the heart.
Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a common bacteria which can live harmlessly in our throats and on our skin. Sometimes GAS can cause mild illnesses like sore throats, occasionally more serious illnesses like scarlet fever and rarely GAS can cause very serious disease such as sepsis, pneumonia or bone infections.
Prognosis and complications
Despite aggressive treatment, the mortality rate for STSS ranges from 30% to 70%. Mortality from STSS is substantially lower in children than adults. Known complications of shock and organ failure can occur, including tissue necrosis and loss of extremities.
What is invasive group A streptococcal disease? Invasive GAS disease is a severe and sometimes life-threatening infection in which the bacteria have invaded parts of the body, such as the blood, deep muscle and fat tissue or the lungs.
Group A Streptococcus, also called group A strep, is a bacterium that can cause many different infections. These may cause sepsis. Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body's life-threatening response to infection.
Though strep throat (streptococcus) is often very painful and highly contagious, it doesn't often require a trip to the emergency room. However, in some rare cases, patients with extreme symptoms should seek emergency medical attention for proper care.
Strep throat symptoms improve between the third and fourth day. Consult your physician if your symptoms worsen after three days or if they do not improve after 7–10 days. Antibiotic treatment for strep throat usually lasts for ten days. People are fully recovered and no longer exhibit symptoms after ten days.
Strep throat can go away on its own. Strep throat is self-limiting, which means a condition can heal without intervention. Strep throat usually lasts a few days but can last up to 10 days. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics such as amoxicillin if they find you have strep A.
Although the strep carrier state may resolve on its own, it can also persist for months.
Pain when swallowing. Sore throat that can start very quickly and may look red. Red and swollen tonsils. White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils.
A sore throat due to strep throat typically causes pain when swallowing. What's more, it may be more painful than a sore throat from a virus. With strep throat, a sore throat may develop quickly.
Transmission. Group A strep pharyngitis is most commonly spread through direct person-to-person transmission. Typically, transmission occurs through respiratory droplets but can also occur through contact with secretions, such as saliva, wound discharge, or nasal secretions, from an infected person.
Strep throat is typically a mild condition, but the infection can be very painful. Your sore throat may be severe and very uncomfortable. The lymph nodes in your neck may be very tender and swollen. You may have pain when swallowing.
Strep throat is more severe than tonsillitis, and it's caused by a specific strain of bacteria called Streptococcus. If untreated, it can damage the kidneys or turn into rheumatic fever, a disease that damages heart valves. Strep throat symptoms include: A fever greater than 101 degrees.
Strep throat typically goes away in three to seven days with or without antibiotic treatment. However, if you don't take antibiotics, you can remain contagious for two to three weeks and are at a higher risk for complications, such as rheumatic fever.
While throat pain and fever are the most common and notable symptoms of strep throat, other signs of this bacterial infection may include: Body aches. Fatigue. Red, swollen tonsils (possibly with white patches or streaks of pus)
Potential Complications Caused By Untreated Strep Throat
Toxic shock syndrome—a rare but potentially life-threatening condition caused by strep bacteria releasing toxins into the body.
The CDC recommend that people with strep throat should stay home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours and have been taking antibiotics for at least 1 day. People who do not receive treatment can remain contagious until they are better.
Return to work/school — If you have been diagnosed with strep throat, stay home from work or school until you have completed 24 hours of antibiotics. Within 24 hours of beginning antibiotic treatment, you will feel better and will be less contagious [1].
Cough, hoarseness, red eyes, and runny nose are not seen with Strep throat. These symptoms point more to a viral cause. Scarlet fever rash (fine, red, sandpaper-like rash) is highly suggestive of Strep throat.
Strep throat is a bacterial infection caused by streptococcus pyogenes, also called group A streptococcus. This bacteria is highly contagious. It can be spread via droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes or from sharing food and beverages.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is a rare, but serious bacterial infection. STSS can develop very quickly into low blood pressure, multiple organ failure, and even death.
Doctors most often prescribe penicillin or amoxicillin (Amoxil) to treat strep throat.
Two of the most severe, but less common, forms of invasive Group A Strep disease are called "necrotizing fasciitis" (a destructive infection of muscle and fat tissue) and "Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome" (a rapidly progressing infection causing low blood pressure/shock and injury to organs such as the kidneys, ...