Strep Throat Infection

Strep throat is a throat infection caused by a certain type of bacteria. Though it may cause the throat to swell, strep throat is different from sore throat. Strep throat is an infection caused by group A streptococcus bacteria, and it’s very common among kids and teens. The symptoms of strep throat include fever, stomach pain, and red, swollen tonsils. Only a small portion of sore throats are the result of strep throat. But it’s important to identify this bacterial throat infection for a number of reasons. Unlike other causes of sore throat, strep throat is treatable. The bacteria that cause strep throat respond quickly to antibiotics, and treatment stops the infection from spreading to other people.There are other things that can happen with strep throat. Scarlet fever is the best-known: this is a combination of strep throat with a rash, usually on the lower abdomen and spreading from there to the trunk, that consists of fine red bumps with a sandpaper-like consistency. The more important complications of strep throat, which usually do not happen unless the infection is left untreated for a long time, include.How to Diagnose Strep Throat? The throat of the patient is swabbed for culture or for a rapid strep test (5 to 15 min), which can be done in the doctor’s office. A rapid test tests for the presence of antibodies against the bacteria. If the rapid test is negative, a follow-up culture (which takes 24 to 48 hours) may be performed if all or most symptoms of strep throat are present. Symptoms of Strep Throat includes:red and white patches in the throat difficulty swallowing tender or swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck red and enlarged tonsils headache lower stomach pain fever general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling loss of appetite and nausea rash Care and Treatment of Strep ThroatStrep throat will go away in 3 to 7 days with or without treatment. Doctors usually treat strep throat with antibiotics even though they may not make you well faster. Antibiotics shorten the time you are able to spread the disease to others (are contagious) and lower the risk of spreading the infection to other parts of your body. Your doctor may give you or your child an antibiotic. Antibiotics kill bacteria, which helps strep throat go away a little faster. It can also prevent a few rare but serious conditions that people with strep throat might get. It is important to take all of the medicine your doctor gives you.How to prevent Strep Throat?To prevent your sick child from spreading strep throat to others in your home, keep his or her eating utensils, dishes, and drinking glasses separate from those that everyone else is using. Wash them in hot, soapy water after each use. Also, make sure your child doesn’t share food, drinks, napkins, handkerchiefs, or towels with other family members. Make sure your child covers his or her mouth and nose during a sneeze or a cough to prevent passing infectious fluid droplets to someone else. And it’s a good idea to throw out your child’s toothbrush after the antibiotic treatment has been started, and your child’s sickness is no longer contagious.

A Look At Some Of The Diseases Caused By Streptococcus Bacteria

Streptococcus bacteria are commonly found in human throat, mouth and in respiratory tract. It spreads easily in air and is responsible for sore throat, fever and sometimes pneumonia. This is a gram positive bacterium. It contains pathogenic and commensal bacteria.Streptococcus bacteria are found in many hosts like human, pigs, cows, horses etc. though they reside in mouth and respiratory organs only, sometimes they may also found in skin, heart and muscle tissues.The pathogenic streptococci in man cause various diseases like sore throat, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever etc. They are divided into groups. Group A streptococci is a pus producing bacteria in wound. Group B streptococci are responsible for neonatal diseases. This type of bacterium is also found in female reproductive organs and may cause premature rupture of membranes. The bacteria can be easily transmitted to the baby and may also cause some infections. Therefore pregnant women in the gestation period of 35 to 37 weeks need to diagnose for Group B streptococci bacteria.Group C causes infection in animals particularly in horses. Strangles in horses is caused by Group c streptococcus bacteria. It is an upper respiratory track infection most common in horses all over the world. This bacterium is highly contagious. Group c bacteria also cause death in chicken and moose. Group D Bacteria or Enterococcus bacteria are found in human. In some rare cases it may cause neurological infections. Hemolytic streptococcus can be classified as Alpha hemolytic streptococci and Beta hemolytic streptococci. Alpha hemolytic streptococci are responsible for pneumonia which is an inflammatory illness in lungs. Streptococcus pneumonic bacteria are found in the nose and mouth of even healthy people. It can affect any one irrespective of age. However it will not affect new born babies.This type of bacterium also causes meningitis which affects the nervous system. Meningitis will cause more infections, physical injuries. If you leave it untreated it may cause even death. Empiric antibodies must be given to the infected person immediately.Some diseases caused by Streptococcus bacteria are as follows;Sore throat, fever, postpartum fever and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome are some of the diseases caused by this bacterium. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is the serious infection caused by this bacterium. It may cause low blood pressure, kidney problems, liver and lung infections and shock. As this bacterium progresses fast it may cause more infection before diagnosis.Group B streptococci cause dreadful diseases in pregnant women and new born babies. Elderly adults are also affected by this bacterium. This bacterium will not show any symptom in the body in the initial stage. However it is dangerous if it enters the blood stream. Pneumonia is also caused by Group B streptococci only. But it is controllable through vaccine.Streptococci will also be found in gastrointestinal tract. The risk of getting this disease is higher in women. Pregnant women need to diagnose for this bacterium since it can be easily transmitted to the infants.Medicine for streptococci: Antibiotics and vaccines are developed to control streptococcus bacteria. Enthromycin and penicillin have highest resistance capacity against this bacterium. However early treatment by giving antibiotics can help control the diseases.

A Look At The Various Types Of Bacteria

There are different types of bacteria that can be divided into harmful bacteria and helpful bacteria. Some helpful bacteria are as follows;Fermentation is necessary to taste cheese or yogurt. Helpful bacteria like brevibacterium give carbon dioxide during the process of fermentation. Helpful bacteria are responsible for the complexity and acidity in beer.Pseudomonas Syringae is a type of bacterium found in leaves and grass and produces protein for frost formation. Now the protein from this type of bacterium is sold in a brand name to enhance the formation of snow.Caulobacter Crescentus is another helpful bacterium which has long sticky sugar molecules. They are better than glues and therefore natural and non toxic adhesive are made from these bacteria.There are billion types of bacteria around us. Most of them are helpful bacteria and they are very important for our survival. Yet there are some few harmful bacteria that cause diseases.Harmful types of bacteria are as follows;Streptococcus bacteria are one of the harmful bacteria that may cause disease in human and animals particularly mammals. They cause some small infections like strep throat and some dreadful diseases like pneumonia. Some harmful streptococci may even cause death. These bacteria are highly contagious and can spread easily through air. Group A and B bacteria are more harmful streptococcus bacteria than any other bacteria strain. They may cause scarlet fever, rheumatic fever etc. They may also cause problems in female reproductive system. However they are controllable through vaccines and antibiotics.Yet there are some harmful bacteria ha may cause gum bleeding and other teeth problems. As they progress rapidly, steps must be taken to prevent them in the early stage itself. However there are some harmful bacteria that are highly resistant to drugs. Bacteria can be classified into 3 types based on the shape. The rod shaped bacteria, Sphere shaped bacteria and Spiral bacteria are the three types of bacteria. There are some bacteria that are in different shapes and so it is difficult to classify tem according to shape.Some bacteria require oxygen for their survival while others do not. On the basis of oxygen requirement they are classified as aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.On the basis of Gram staining method bacteria are classified into two types. They are Gram positive bacteria and Gram negative bacteria. Bacteria are also classified according to their growth and reproduction. Such classification includes Autotrophic bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria. Autotrophic bacteria take the required carbon from carbon dioxide by itself. Some types of autotrophs will use sunlight to transform carbon dioxide to sugar. While heterotrophic bacteria will take sugar or carbon from the environment they live.Scientists have classified various types of bacteria according to the phyla. Each phylum then again corresponds to various species of bacteria. The bacteria can be classified according o the environment they live also. Sweet water bacteria, ocean water bacteria are some of the types of bacteria classified according to their environment. Some types of bacteria can survive in extremely hot or cold temperature.

    Facelifts seem like old news. I mean, facelifts are so 1980s. Today all the buzz is around non-surgical facelifts, liquid facelifts, or lunch hour threadlifts. Everyone seems to promise that you can get facelift results without all that mucking around with surgery or waiting for you body to heal. Sounds like a great deal, right? Of course it does. But is it the truth?   The Facelift Is an Advanced Technology   The modern facelift was developed in the 1970s and grew to popularity in the 1980s, but that doesn’t mean it’s old technology. After all, cell phones and personal computers first became popular in the 1980s, but they’re not exactly old technology. Although they have not changed in terms of their basic function, cell phones, PCs, and facelifts have all continued to develop.   Like cell phones and PCs, facelifts have become smaller and more powerful. Advances in surgical techniques and recovery methods have allowed facelifts to give better, more natural-looking results with a shorter recovery time than ever.   Facelift Alternatives If you are looking into cosmetic procedures at all, chances are you’ve heard about many different procedures that promise to be as good as facelifts, only without surgery. Many of these are scams, but some of them are legitimate alternatives that have reasonable tradeoffs against the facelift procedure, and should be considered. Perhaps the most successful facelift alternative is injectable fillers, originally collagen, but nowadays they are more likely to be hyaluronic acid, a natural material that is found in skin, spinal fluid, eyes, and streptococcus bacteria. Botox, commonly promoted as a facelift alternative, actually targets completely different areas than the facelift. Whereas a facelift works on sagging skin and facial folds in the lower face, Botox is most successful in remedying crow’s feet and wrinkles in the forehead.   Other facelift alternatives include skin and subcutaneous fat treatments, such as Thermage and some components of the Sciton platform. These treatments actually apply light or radio energy to the skin in a fashion that penetrates below the surface into the subcutaneous layers of fat. These treatments can loosen the tissues of the skin and fat, causing them to rearrange themselves slightly and contract. With these treatments, some people see significant tightening of the skin and alleviation of facial wrinkles. Not everyone sees the same results, however, and doctors have not yet assembled a consistent profile of who will see the best results.   Nothing like the Real Thing   The truth about these facelift alternatives, though, is that they are all wannabe facelifts. If you have significant skin laxity and wrinkling, large jowls, turkey wattle, and other signs of facial aging, the best possible treatment is a facelift. A facelift can reduce lax, hanging skin and reduce wrinkling in the lower face, especially around the mouth. In addition, the results of a facelift are long-lasting. A facelift doesn’t stop your face from aging, but some patients see results from their facelift for ten years after the surgery. When you compare that to injectable fillers or Thermage, which may need to be repeated every six months or more, the facelift has a definite advantage. Perhaps the best way to approach these other treatments is as a possible complement to the facelift, like a laser and a lift, in which light treatment of fine wrinkles supplements the facelift remedy of deep folds and hanging skin.   If you want to experience a remedy for lax facial skin, deep facial folds, and a jowly appearance, you should consider all the alternatives, but the most reliable treatment is the facelift.

If you’re a girl who’s had her period, you may have heard frightening stories about toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a serious illness originally linked to the use of tampons. But TSS isn’t strictly related to tampons. The contraceptive sponge and the diaphragm, two types of birth control methods, have been linked to TSS. And, sometimes, the infection has occurred as a result of wounds or surgery, where the skin has been broken, allowing bacteria to enter.

Toxic shock syndrome can happen to anyone %26mdash; men, women, and children. Although it can be serious, it’s a very rare illness. If you’re concerned about toxic shock syndrome, the smartest thing you can do is to read and learn about it, then take some precautions.

What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome?

TSS is a systemic illness, which means that it affects the whole body. It can be caused by one of two different types of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes %26mdash; although toxic shock that is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria is rarer. These bacteria can produce document.write(deftoxins60)toxins. In some people whose bodies can’t fight these toxins, the immune system reacts. This reaction causes the symptoms associated with TSS.

When people think of TSS, they often think of tampon use. That’s because the earliest cases of the illness, back in the late 1970s, were related to superabsorbent tampons. Research led to better tampons and better habits for using them %26mdash; such as changing tampons more often. The number of TSS cases dropped dramatically. Today about half of all TSS cases are linked to menstruation.

Aside from tampon use, TSS has been linked to skin infections that are typically minor and can be associated with the chickenpox rash. TSS has also been reported following surgical procedures, giving birth, and prolonged use of nasal packing for nosebleeds %26mdash; although all of these are rare.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?

Symptoms of TSS occur suddenly. Because it’s an illness that is caused by a toxin, many of the body’s organ systems are affected. The signs and symptoms of TSS include:

high fever (greater than 102° Fahrenheit [38.8° Celsius])

rapid drop in blood pressure (with lightheadedness or fainting)

sunburn-like rash on the entire body

vomiting and diarrhea

severe muscle aches or weakness

bright red coloring of the eyes, throat, and vagina

headache, confusion, disorientation, or seizures

kidney and other organ failure

The average time before symptoms appear for TSS is 2 to 3 days after an infection with Staphylococcus or Streptococcus, although this can vary depending on the cause of the infection.

Can I Prevent TSS?

The risk of getting TSS is already low. But you can reduce it still further by simply following some common-sense precautions:

Clean and bandage any skin wounds.

Change bandages regularly, rather than keeping them on for several days.

Check wounds for signs of infection. If a wound gets red, swollen, painful, or tender, or if you develop a fever, call your doctor right away.

If you’re a girl whose period has started, the best way to avoid TSS is to use sanitary napkins instead of tampons.

For girls who prefer to use tampons, select the ones with the lowest absorbency that can handle your menstrual flow and change them frequently. You can also alternate the use of tampons with sanitary napkins.

If you’ve already had an episode of TSS or have been infected with S. aureus, don’t use tampons or contraceptive devices that have been associated with TSS (such as diaphragms and contraceptive sponges).

What Do Doctors Do?

TSS is a medical emergency. If you think you or someone you know may have TSS, call a doctor right away. Depending on the symptoms, a doctor may see you in the office or refer you to a hospital emergency department for immediate evaluation and testing.

If doctors suspect TSS, they will probably start intravenous (IV) fluids and antibiotics as soon as possible. They may take a sample from the suspected site of the infection, such as the skin, nose, or vagina, to check it for TSS. They may also take a blood sample. Other blood tests can help monitor how various organs like the kidneys are working and check for other diseases that may be causing the symptoms.

Medical staff will remove tampons, contraceptive devices, or wound packing; clean any wounds; and, if there is a pocket of infection (called an abscess), a doctor may need to drain pus from the infected area.

People with TSS typically need to stay in the hospital, often in the intensive care unit, for several days to closely monitor blood pressure, respiratory status, and to look for signs of other problems, such as organ damage.

TSS is a very rare illness that’s usually not fatal if recognized and treated promptly.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: January 2007
Originally reviewed by: Joel Klein, MD Printer-friendly versionEmail this article to a friendSend email to us