Strep Throat (Streptococcal Pharyngitis) refers to the throat infection caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat most commonly occurs in children and teenagers. However, anybody can be affected by it.

The most common symptoms of strep throat are listed in the table below:

• Fever
• Headache
• Sore Throat
• Difficulty in Swallowing
• Swollen and Tender Lymph Nodes in the Neck
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Rash (Scarlatiniform Rash)
• Malaise (Vague feeling of being ill)
• Loss of Appetite
• Abnormal Taste Sensation
• Swollen and Red Tonsils with or without white patches on it
• Red spots at the back of the roof of the mouth

Complications of Strep Throat

Strep Throat can result in numerous complications and there can be symptoms of these complications. The various complications and their symptoms are:

Rheumatic Fever

• Rare in developed countries due to appropriate treatment.
• Common symptoms are fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, joint pain and swelling, skin rash, skin nodules, involuntary jerky movements, etc.

Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis

• Glomeruli, the basic filtering units of the kidney are damaged in this condition.
• Common symptoms are blood in urine (rust-colored urine), decreased urine output, swelling in various parts of body (face, eyes, feet, abdomen, etc.)

Otitis Media

• Infection of the middle ear.
• Common symptoms are ear pain, fullness in the ear, hearing loss, vomiting, fever, etc.

Sinusitis

• Inflammation of the sinuses in the skull.
• Common symptoms are fever, headache, nasal congestion and discharge, postnasal drip, sore throat, loss of smell, fatigue, malaise, cough, etc.

Mastoiditis

• Infection of the mastoid bone of the skull.
• Common symptoms are ear pain, fever, headache, hearing loss, drainage from the ear, swelling and redness behind the ear, etc.

Quinsy

• Abscess formation around the tonsils.
• Common symptoms are fever, chills, headache, difficulty in opening mouth, difficulty in swallowing, drooling of saliva, sore throat, voice changes, etc.

Guttate Psoriasis

• One of the forms of Psoriasis.
• Common symptoms are itching and pinkish-red spots on the skin (which may be covered with silver, flaky skin)

Scarlet Fever

• Group A Streptococcus causes scarlet fever
• Common symptoms are fever and chills, sore throat, rash, swollen and red tongue, headache, malaise, etc.