Firdaus Khan
Viral sore throats in children are closely followed in frequency by group A streptococcal (GAS) sore throats, which is the most frequent bacterial cause of infectious pharyngitis, said Dr. KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.
In the winter months as many as 30 percent of episodes of pharyngitis may be caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes. If not detected and treated in time it can bite the heart valves and lick the joints (temporary joint pains)
GAS accounts for 15 to 30 percent of all cases of pharyngitis in children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. In temperate climates, the incidence peaks during the winter and early spring. GAS pharyngitis is seen most frequently in school-age children, but may occur in younger children, especially if they have contact with school-age children.
In children older than 3 years, GAS pharyngitis typically has an abrupt onset. Fever, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting may accompany the sore throat, which can lead to poor oral intake. Quite frequently, cough and nasal discharge are absent, which if present often represent viral cough. Additional features may include exudative pharyngitis, enlarged and painful anterior cervical lymph nodes, palatal petechiae, and an inflamed uvula. Symptoms usually resolve spontaneously in three to five days.
Streptococcal infections usually manifest with atypical symptoms in children younger than 3 years of age. Instead of a well-defined episode of pharyngitis, they may have prolonged symptoms of nasal congestion and discharge, low-grade fever, and painful anterior cervical lymph nodes. This GAS symptom complex is called "streptococcosis". Infants younger than 1 year may present with fussiness, decreased appetite, and low-grade fever. These children often have either older siblings or daycare contacts with GAS infection.
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