Question:
I've never heard of this term until I started in this ng. Do we call it
something different in the UK? Is it serious?
Answer:
I believe it's a form of tonsillitis (where pus is visible on the swollen
tonsils) or what used to be called a septic throat. Doctors over here don't
take a swab and culture routinely like they do in the USA - if pus is
visible, the infection is bacterial in origin and antibiotics are
prescribed. No pus with swollen tonsils indicates a viral origin and
antibiotics aren't indicated.
Strep throat isn't serious in itself but can be contagious and if it goes
systemic throughout the body can lead to scarlet fever.
its streptococcus. it can be serious if left untreated as it can spread
(that is what my dad had told me. he knew someone that didn't treat it and
it spread.) . its a bacteria throat infection.
Don't know what you call it there, but I believe that it's an infection
caused by the bacteria strepto-something (can't recall the shape of the
bacteria - it might be streptococcus), which has lodged in the throat. Like
Jean said, not serious in itself, but can be painful, and needs antibiotic
treatment so it doesn't become serious.
I have to beg to differ on the "not serious in itself" part - I was
hospitalized for several days when I was almost 21, 3 days after the onset of
strep throat (Tuesday night I started having a little bit of a sore throat,
Friday night I was admitted). My throat was so swollen that I was starting to
become dehydrated and having difficulty breathing. I run far, far away from
anyone with strep throat now. :)
