________ can be caused by viral or bacterial infections, some related to sore throats or colds.
Most sore throats are caused by viruses, like ones that cause a cold or the flu, and do not need antibiotic treatment. Some sore throats are caused by bacteria, such as group A Streptococcus (group A strep). Sore throats caused by these bacteria are known as strep throat. In children, 20 to 30 out of every 100 sore throats are strep throat. In adults, only 5 to 15 out of every 100 sore throats is strep throat. The following symptoms are often associated with sore throats caused by a viral infection or due to allergies: 1  Sneezing. 2  Coughing. 3  Watery eyes.  Mild headache or body 1  aches. Runny nose.  Low fever (less than 101 °F) Infections cause the majority of sore throats and are contagious. Infections are caused either by viruses such as the flu, the common cold, mononucleosis, or by bacteria such as strep, mycoplasma, or hemophilus. While bacteria respond to antibiotic treatment, viruses do not. What Causes Sore Throat? Sore throat (also called pharyngitis) is typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection. An estimated 200 to 300 different strains of virus cause colds and sore throat.1 In up to 90% of cases, sore throat is caused by viruses linked to the common cold or flu. The other 10% of cases result from bacterial infections or some other medical condition. Antibiotics should not be used to treat a cold virus or viral sore throat. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. They won’t work on sore throats associated with colds, which are caused by viruses, and may cause future infections to be worse and last longer. Other cold symptoms such as a runny nose and congestion may follow the sore throat. Tonsillitis is a painful infection of the tonsils, the tissue masses located on either side of the back of the throat. It can be caused by a virus or by bacteria. When bacteria are responsible for this infection Streptococcus bacteria is often the cause. To determine the cause of your sore throat, your doctor may do a throat swab. However, there may be some clues. Signs and symptoms, which can vary from person to person, might include: 1  Runny or stuffy nose. 2  Sore throat. 3  Cough. Congestion.  Slight body aches or a mild 1  headache. Sneezing.  Low-grade 1  fever. Generally feeling unwell (malaise) Yet a sore throat isn’t a disease. Most often, it’s a symptom of another illness — such as the common cold or the flu. In many cases, a sore throat is the first indication that you’re getting sick. Bacterial infections that cause sore throats Mononucleosis are sometimes treated with antibiotics. But antibiotics aren’t effective against viruses, the cause of most illnesses that result in a sore throat. In that case, your best response is self-care measures including rest and plenty of liquids. Although many types of viruses can cause a common cold, rhinoviruses are the most common culprit. A cold virus enters your body through your mouth, eyes or nose. The virus can spread through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks. Infections in the nose and sinuses also can cause sore throats because mucus from the nose drains down into the throat and carries the infection with it. The most dangerous throat infection is epiglottitis, caused by bacteria that infect a portion of the larynx (voice box) and cause swelling that closes the airway.
Sore throat