Treating Strep Throat

Most sore throats are the result of viruses, allergies or changes n the weather. A small percentage of all sore throats result from the bacteria Group A Streptococcus (“Strep”). Bacterial sore throat in adults usually accompanied with fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and a lack of cough. Small children usually will have sore throat and fever alone but occasionally there can be headache, abdominal pain or a sandpaper like pink rash called scarlet fever.

The best way to diagnose a strep throat is via a throat culture. The physician will decide to start treatment before the results of the culture return, based on the clinical symptoms, the medical history, the family history and other factors. Culture results usually return within 24-38 hours. If the decision is made to start antibiotics, and the results come back that there is no streptococcal A infection, then it is almost for certain that the sore throat is not coming from a strep A infection and the antibiotics should be stopped.

Why antibiotics?

Many people ask why it is important to take antibiotics when one has a Streptoccal A infection. Taking antibiotics is very important for a number of reasons:

1. Antibiotics will quicken the resolution of the symptoms
2. Antibiotics will prevent spread of the infection to others.
3. Antibiotics will prevent severe complications of the Strep, including joint, heart and kidney disease

The usual treatment for strep throat is Penicillin (Rafapen) or Amoxicillin (Moxypen). These two medications are equally effective but the taste of the amoxicillin is much more palatable for children. In the case of recurrent throat infections, there exists various approaches to treatment. It is important to note that the sick person can infect others until antibiotics are taken and the fever has gone down. Usually the fever goes down within 24 hours of taking the first dowse of the antibiotics. It is important to take antibiotics for the full course so that the infection does not recur. In addition to the antibiotics, it is possible to decrease the pain of sore throat via gargling with salt water, taking throat lozenges or pain relief medication.
Usually one does not need to repeat the throat culture after treatment because many times healthy children will continue to carry the streptococcal bacteria. Most cases of healthy children who carry strep do not need to be given medication as the treatment is not effective, and the bacteria will be cleared by the body itself, without complication