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Streptococcal pharyngitis in children
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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In the case of streptococcal infection, in a significant proportion of cases the pharynx is involved in the process, causing “acute pharyngitis”.
The term "pharyngitis" is usually used to describe changes in the oropharynx in various infectious diseases (ARI, diphtheria, measles, meningococcal infection, etc.). Pharyngitis is often combined with damage to the tonsils, nasopharynx, and respiratory tract. However, the diagnosis of "acute pharyngitis" is established when the main process is localized on the back wall of the pharynx.
Streptococcal pharyngitis begins acutely, with complaints of pain when swallowing, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting and may be accompanied by a rise in body temperature from subfebrile to high numbers. Pain in the oropharynx varies from mild to quite pronounced, leading to difficulty swallowing. There is a feeling of dryness, irritation and other unpleasant sensations in the area of the back wall of the pharynx. Pharyngoscopic picture shows a sharp increase, hyperemia, swelling of the back wall of the pharynx with frequent suppuration of follicles, superficial necrosis, sometimes with ulceration. Changes in the palatine tonsils are weakly expressed or absent. Pain and enlargement of the anterior and posterior cervical lymph nodes are noted with great constancy.
Diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis
Streptococcal pharyngitis is diagnosed based on the clinical picture, isolation of streptococcal culture in mucus cultures from the lesion, and an increase in the titer of antibodies to streptococcal antigens in the dynamics of the disease. In cases of retropharyngeal abscess, in difficult to diagnose cases, radiography of the neck or nasopharynx is performed.
Treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis
In streptococcal pharyngitis, antibiotics, desensitizing agents, vitamins, gargling with bactericidal preparations against gram-positive cocci (tomicide), disinfectants and saline solutions, herbal infusions are prescribed. In order to eliminate the pathogen from the surface of the mucous membrane and restore local immunity, it is justified to prescribe the topical immunomodulator imudon. Its positive effect on the state of the oropharyngeal microbiocenosis, as well as on the activation of phagocytosis and restoration of the protective shaft of secretory IgA has been shown.
In case of development of a retropharyngeal abscess, surgical treatment is indicated.
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