What is Streptococcal pharyngitis?
{{Infobox disease | Name = Streptococcal pharyngitis | Image = Pos strep.JPG | Caption = A culture positive case of streptococcal pharyngitis with typical pus on the tonsils in a 16 year old. | Alt = A set of large tonsils in the back of the throat covered in white exudate | DiseasesDB = 12507 | ICD10 = {{ICD10|J|02|0|j|00}} | ICD9 = {{ICD9|034.0}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | MedlinePlus = 000639 | eMedicineSubj = med | eMedicineTopic = 1811 | MeshID = }} '''Streptococcal pharyngitis''' or '''strep throat''' is an [[illness]] that is caused by the [[bacteria]] called “[[streptococcus|Group A Streptococcus]]”.<ref>{{DorlandsDict|nine/100014400|streptococcal pharyngitis}}</ref> Strep throat affects the [[throat]] and the [[tonsils]]. The tonsils are the two [[gland]]s in the throat at the back of the [[mouth]]. Strep throat can also affect the voice box ([[larynx]]). Common [[symptom]]s include [[fever]], throat [[pain]] (also called a sore throat), and [[wikt:swelling|swollen]] glands (called [[lymph nodes]]) in the [[neck]]. Strep throat causes 37% of sore throats among [[children]].<ref name=Peds2010/> Strep throat spreads through close contact with a [[illness|sick]] person. To be sure that a person has strep throat, a test called a [[throat culture]] is needed. Even without this test, a likely case of strep throat can be known because of the [[symptom]]s. [[Antibiotic]]s can help a person with strep throat. Antibiotics are [[medicine]]s that kill [[bacteria]]. They are used mostly to prevent complication such as [[rheumatic fever]] rather than to shorten the length of sickness.<ref name=Review09/> ==Signs and symptoms== The usual symptoms of strep throat are a sore throat, [[fever]] of more than 38&nbsp;°C (100.4&nbsp;°F), [[pus]] (a yellow or green [[fluid]] made up of dead bacteria, and white blood cells) on the tonsils, and swollen lymph nodes.<ref name=Review09>{{cite journal |author=Choby BA |title=Diagnosi