What are the causes and symptoms of strep throat?
A person with strep throat suddenly develops a painful sore throat one to five days after being exposed to the streptococcus bacteria. The pain is indistinguishable from sore throats caused by other diseases. The infected person usually feels tired and has a fever, sometimes accompanied by chills, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, and nausea. Young children may complain of abdominal pain. The tonsils look swollen and are bright red, with white or yellow patches of pus on them. Sometimes the roof of the mouth is red or has small red spots. Often a person with strep throat has bad breath. Despite these common symptoms, strep throat can be deceptive. It is possible to have the disease and not show any of these symptoms. Many young children complain only of a headache and stomachache, without the characteristic sore throat. Occasionally, within a few days of developing the sore throat, an individual may develop a fine, rough, sunburn-like rash over the face and upper body, and