Strep throat refers to acute pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) due to infection with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus bacteria. Unlike the very common sore throat (acute viral pharyngitis), an illness caused by various the flu, which rarely requires the use of medication, strep throat may require a course of specific antibiotics to speed recovery from the disease and prevent the onset of potential complications. . Although the bacterial and viral forms of acute pharyngitis have different causes, the manifestations of both disorders are very similar: inflammation of the throat, pain, discomfort, difficulty swallowing, etc. Without proper medical investigations, the common sore throat can easily be mistaken for strep throat and vice versa. Due to inaccurate diagnosis, strep throat patients who should be prescribed antibiotics may not receive any medication, while viral sore throat patients may be unnecessarily prescribed strong antibiotics.
Recent research has revealed that a large number of patients presenting to the doctor with pharyngitis receive the wrong medications as a result of misdiagnosis. According to recent studies, doctors unnecessarily prescribe antibiotics to about half of children with a sore throat, the common viral pharyngitis. In addition, about a third of children with strep throat do not receive any medication or are prescribed non-specific and non-recommended antibiotics. These facts are very worrying, as they clearly reveal the poor quality of the current system of pediatric medicine. Considering that existing diagnostic methods are very efficient in distinguishing between viral and bacterial forms of pharyngitis, the overwhelmingly large number of inappropriately treated strep throat cases can be blamed entirely on pediatricians and medical doctors. family.
Antibiotics are strong medications that can cause a number of side effects. Even when prescribed correctly, these medications can cause side effects such as nausea, allergic reactions, digestive problems, decreased immune system response to future infections, etc. When prescribed to patients with viral pharyngitis, antibiotics will only lead to undesirable results, since they cannot speed up recovery from the disease. When prescribed to patients with strep throat, nonspecific antibiotics (antibiotics outside the spectrum of penicillin derivatives, amoxicillin, erythromycin, or cephalosporins) or the correct antibiotics in the wrong doses can cause serious side effects and also increase the risk of infection. drug resistance of streptococcus bacteria. People who have been inappropriately prescribed antibiotics in the past tend to respond less to antibiotic treatments and require larger doses to overcome bacterial infections.
Most of the existing cases of inappropriate treatment of strep throat could have been easily avoided by using proper diagnostic methods. The most effective and reliable method for diagnosing strep throat is to perform the simple throat swab test. This test involves rubbing a spatula against the walls of the throat to take a sample of mucus. The sample is then analyzed in the laboratory to detect the exact type of organism responsible for causing the swollen throat. If the test reveals the presence of active streptococcal strains of bacteria, then the recommended treatment is specific antibiotics.
In case the test suggests the involvement of viruses in the cause of the swollen throat, it is better not to use antibiotics in the treatment. The use of this test plays a vital role in preventing cases of inappropriate treatment of pharyngitis. Considering that the test is quick, simple, and inexpensive, all patients with pharyngeal inflammation should receive it to ensure that they are properly diagnosed and treated.