What Does the Beginning of Strep Throat Look Like?

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that usually starts with a sore throat and swollen tonsils, often streaked with white pus and accompanied by tiny red dots in the mouth and throat.

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that is a common cause of sore throat.

What Are Symptoms of Strep Throat?

Symptoms of strep throat often come on quickly and the beginning of strep throat looks like:

• Swollen tonsils
• Swollen uvula
• Red throat
• White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils, back of the throat, and tongue
• Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth 
• Whitish, furry film on the tongue 

Symptoms of strep throat include:

• Sore throat that may occur quickly
• Pain when swallowing
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
• Headache
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting 
• Rash (scarlet fever) 

Strep throat is caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep).

Group A strep live in the nose and throat and can be contagious. When a person who has strep coughs or sneezes, they release respiratory droplets with the bacteria into the air. It takes about two to five days after exposure to group A strep to develop symptoms.

Strep can be transmitted when people:

• Inhale the respiratory droplets
• Touch something with droplets on it and then touch their mouth or nose
• Share glasses, plates, or utensils with an infected person
• Touch sores on the skin caused by group A strep (impetigo)
• Eat food not handled properly (rare)

Strep throat is diagnosed with: 

• A rapid strep test
  • A swab is taken of the throat 
  • The swab is tested to see if strep bacteria are present in the patient’s throat
  • Results are usually available in about 15 minutes
• Throat culture
  • Sometimes a rapid strep test is negative but a doctor still suspects strep so further testing is done
  • A throat culture swab can take 2-3 days to yield results but is more accurate than a rapid strep test

Antibiotics are used to treat strep throat.

• Penicillin or amoxicillin are the first-line choices 
• Other antibiotics may be used in people who are allergic to penicillin
• If antibiotics are prescribed, take the entire dose as prescribed even if you feel better before you have finished all the medication

If a person tests positive for strep throat but has no symptoms (is a “carrier”) treatment is often not needed. 

Complications of strep throat may occur if the bacteria spreads to other parts of the body and can include:

• Abscesses around the tonsils
• Sinus infections
• Ear infections
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Rheumatic fever (a type of heart disease)
• Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (a type of kidney disease)

People can have recurrent infections with strep throat. The illness may be prevented in some cases by: 

• Washing hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
• Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
• Covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
• Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or upper arm or elbow, not the hands, if a tissue is not available (discard used tissues immediately)
• Washing glasses, utensils, and plates thoroughly after someone who is infected uses them

If you have strep throat: 

• Stay home from work or school until you no longer have a fever and you have taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours
• Take the full course of antibiotics exactly as prescribed