What Is the Connection Between Strep and Tonsillitis?

Acute streptococcal tonsillitis is an acute, non-specific inflammation of the tonsils caused by pathogens such as type B hemolytic streptococcus. It is common in children and young adults. It is easy to occur in early spring and late autumn. Some patients become chronic tonsillitis due to incomplete treatment, which recurs or forms chronic lesions of other organ diseases throughout the body. The main clinical manifestations are sore throat, fever, and general discomfort. Children may still have convulsions, vomiting, and lethargy due to high fever. If not diagnosed and treated in time, there may be local complications and systemic complications, such as otitis media, parapharyngeal abscess, rheumatic fever, acute nephritis and so on. It is usually sporadic, with occasional outbreaks, and is more common in collectives such as troops, factories and schools.

Acute streptococcal tonsillitis

Introduction to Acute Streptococcal Tonsillitis

Acute streptococcal tonsillitis is an acute, non-specific inflammation of the tonsils caused by pathogens such as type B hemolytic streptococcus. It is common in children and young adults. It is easy to occur in early spring and late autumn. Some patients become chronic tonsillitis due to incomplete treatment, which recurs or forms chronic lesions of other organ diseases throughout the body. The main clinical manifestations are sore throat, fever, and general discomfort. Children may still have convulsions, vomiting, and lethargy due to high fever. If not diagnosed and treated in time, there may be local complications and systemic complications, such as otitis media, parapharyngeal abscess, rheumatic fever, acute nephritis and so on. It is usually sporadic, with occasional outbreaks, and is more common in collectives such as troops, factories and schools.

Pathogenesis of acute streptococcal tonsillitis

Pathogens such as streptococcus are present in the pharynx and tonsil crypts of normal people. When the body's defense ability is normal, no disease will occur; when certain factors reduce the body's defense ability, the pathogens present in the body multiply. , External pathogens take advantage of it, causing disease.

Clinical manifestations and diagnostic points of acute streptococcal tonsillitis

(1) Systemic symptoms: acute onset, chills, high fever, which can reach 39-40 ° C, especially young children can have convulsions, vomiting or lethargy, loss of appetite, constipation, and systemic soreness due to high fever.

(2) Local symptoms: Sore throat is obvious, especially when swallowing. Those who are violent can radiate to the ears. Children often cry because they cannot swallow. Children who suffer from tonsil hypertrophy can prevent their sleep when breathing, and often wake up at night.

Laboratory tests for acute streptococcal tonsillitis

Blood white blood cells increase, neutrophils also increase, a small amount of protein and cast in urine. Pharyngeal swabs were cultured with hemolytic streptococci. The anti-streptolysin "O" was significantly higher in the recovery phase than in the acute phase.

Diagnosis of Acute Streptococcal Tonsillitis

Diagnosis based on symptoms and signs is generally not difficult, but it needs to be distinguished from pharyngeal diphtheria and infectious mononucleosis. The former has a slow onset, slightly lower heat, and the tonsils and pharynx are gray and difficult to wipe off. There is bleeding when peeled off. Pharyngeal swab smears and cultures can help distinguish them. The latter is caused by EBV (Epstein-Barrvirus) or CMV (Cytomegalovirus). The fever lasts for a long time, and the lymph nodes in the body are swollen. The neck and submandibular are significant. The tonsils in the pharynx are swollen, and sore throat is rare. There is purulent exudate, there is no response to antibiotic treatment, there is an increase in heterotypic lymphocytes in the surrounding blood, and the heterophilic agglutination test is positive.

Treatment of acute streptococcal tonsillitis

Take a break, drink plenty of water, and take a fever-relieving painkiller (such as aspirin) for headaches with high fever. Choose penicillin or erythromycin, accompanied by mouthwash, lozenges, Liushen pills, Banlangen granules, etc. Chinese medicine is available: 15g each of Yinhua, Forsythia lucidum, Ophiopogon and Asparagus 9g each, 4.5g of licorice, one dose per day, usually 2-3.

Home emergency treatment of acute streptococcal tonsillitis

(1) It should be isolated to prevent transmission by droplets or contact.

(2) Pay attention to rest, drink plenty of water, and enter a liquid diet.

(3) Topical medications and gargles, such as compound borax solution, 1: 5000 furacicillin solution, mouthwash; chlorhexidine tablets, iodine-containing laryngeal tablets, etc.

(4) Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used when antipyretic and analgesic.

(5) Use systemic antibiotics to control infection.

(6) Hot compresses at the submandibular corners can help anti-inflammatory effect.

(7) The tin can be blown into the throat with ice boron powder, once every 2 hours.

(8) When there is an abscess around the tonsil, you can go to the hospital to puncture the pus and suck the decompression, and then cut open and drain the drainage.

Complications of Acute Streptococcal Tonsillitis

(1) Local complications: Inflammation can spread to the surrounding area, causing cellulitis around the tonsils and abscesses around the tonsils. It can also cause acute otitis media, acute cervical lymphadenitis, and parapharyngeal abscesses.

(2) Systemic complications: Most are thought to be caused by allergic reactions, which may be complicated by rheumatic fever, hemorrhagic nephritis, myocarditis, and arthritis associated with hemolytic streptococcal infections. Special attention should be paid to the sudden death of patients with myocarditis.