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Tonsillitis: Difference between revisions
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(Created page with "'''Tonsillitis''', infection of the palatine tonsils, is a common condition in children and adults. There is no clear distinction between tonsillitis and pharyngitis, and so the condition may also be called '''pharyngitis''' or '''tonsillopharyngitis'''. In 70% of cases tonsillitis is caused by viruses and is one part of a viral upper respiratory tract infection, which affects multiple parts of the upper respiratory tract. In 30% of cases, mostly in children, tonsil...") |
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In 70% of cases tonsillitis is caused by viruses and is one part of a viral [[upper respiratory tract infection]], which affects multiple parts of the upper respiratory tract. In 30% of cases, mostly in children, tonsillitis is isolated and bacterial, caused by [[streptococcus pyogenes]], also called group A streptococcus (GAS). This is called '''streptococcal pharyngitis''' or '''strep throat'''. When a patient presents with symptoms of pharyngitis or tonsillitis it's important to determine whether it's viral or streptococcal. Both are self-limiting, but antibiotic treatment for streptococcal infection shorten the disease and prevent potentially severe complications. | In 70% of cases tonsillitis is caused by viruses and is one part of a viral [[upper respiratory tract infection]], which affects multiple parts of the upper respiratory tract. In 30% of cases, mostly in children, tonsillitis is isolated and bacterial, caused by [[streptococcus pyogenes]], also called group A streptococcus (GAS). This is called '''streptococcal pharyngitis''' or '''strep throat'''. When a patient presents with symptoms of pharyngitis or tonsillitis it's important to determine whether it's viral or streptococcal. Both are self-limiting, but antibiotic treatment for streptococcal infection shorten the disease and prevent potentially severe complications. | ||
== Etiology == | |||
70% of cases are viral, caused by a [[respiratory tract virus]] like [[rhinovirus]], [[adenovirus]], [[influenzavirus]], etc. Most of the remaining cases are caused by [[streptococcus pyogenes]]. Tonsillitis is also a part of [[mononucleosis]], in which case it's caused by [[EBV]]. | |||
Other rare causes of tonsillitis include: | |||
* [[Diphtheria]] | |||
* [[Vincent angina]] | |||
* [[Chlamydia trachomatis]] | |||
* [[Neisseria gonorrhoeae]] | |||
== Clinical features == | == Clinical features == | ||
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Streptococcal pharyngitis may (rarely), especially if untreated, lead to severe complications, including [[peritonsillar abscess]], [[parapharyngeal abscess]], [[scarlet fever]], [[rheumatic fever]], poststreptococcal [[glomerulonephritis]]. PANDAS is a very rare condition which may be caused by GAS infection, characterised by acute onset OCD and tics. | Streptococcal pharyngitis may (rarely), especially if untreated, lead to severe complications, including [[peritonsillar abscess]], [[parapharyngeal abscess]], [[scarlet fever]], [[rheumatic fever]], poststreptococcal [[glomerulonephritis]]. PANDAS is a very rare condition which may be caused by GAS infection, characterised by acute onset OCD and tics. | ||
<noinclude>[[Category:Ear, nose, throat (ENT)]]</noinclude> | <noinclude>[[Category:Ear, nose, throat (ENT)]] | ||
</noinclude> | |||