Sore throats can be one of the most difficult symptoms to deal with you have a cold. But what if it's not just from a virus and it's group A strep instead? Learn about this common bacterial throat infection in our episode today!

This episode was written by pediatricians Tammy Yau and Lidia Park with content support from Dean Blumberg (pediatric infectious disease). Pediatricians Tammy and Lidia take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation.

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Key points:

• Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis (commonly referred to as "strep throat") is a bacterial infection of the tonsils and pharynx.
• Scarlet fever refers to GAS infection causing a sandpaper like rash on the body due to exotoxins.
• Diagnose with a throat swab (rapid antigen, culture, and/or PCR or NAAAT) and treat with penicillin or amoxicillin for a full 10 day course. Use Keflex or clindamycin for those with penicillin allergy

Sources

• “Group A Streptococcal Infections”. Red Book. https://doi.org/10.1542/9781610027373-S3_018_010
• “Dr. William Douglas' Description of Scarlet Fever in 1736—An American Medical Classic” Pediatrics (1978) 61 (6): 888. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.61.6.888
• “Blindness in Walnut Grove: How did Mary Ingalls Lose her Sight?” Pediatrics (2013) 131 (3): 404–406. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-1438