Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- presence of risk factors
- pain on swallowing
- fever (>38°C [>100.5°F])
- tonsillar exudate
Other diagnostic factors
- sudden onset of sore throat
- headache
- abdominal pain
- nausea and vomiting
- presence of cough or runny nose
- tonsillar erythema
- tonsillar enlargement
- enlarged anterior cervical lymph nodes
Risk factors
- age between 5 and 15 years
- contact with infected people in enclosed spaces (e.g., child care centres, schools, prison)
Diagnostic investigations
Investigations to consider
- serological testing for streptococci
- WBC count and differential
- heterophile antibodies
- vaginal and cervical, or penile, and rectal cultures
- HIV viral load assay
- lateral cervical view x-ray, exposed for soft tissue
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors VIEW ALL
Director
Endoscopic Skull Base Centre
Academic Medical Center
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Disclosures
CG declares that he has no competing interests.
Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon
Collaborator in Otolaryngology
ENT Department
Hippokration University Hospital
Athens
Greece
Disclosures
EM declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers VIEW ALL
Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine
Georgetown University
Washington
DC
Disclosures
IB declares that he has no competing interests.
Dean
Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine
Bond University
Gold Coast
Queensland
Australia
Disclosures
CDM is the author of some studies referenced in this monograph.
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