Infectiousness and Possible Complications of Streptococcal Infections
Author: Groshan Fabiola

The main concern of all physicians is to start an antibiotic administration as soon as possible to avoid eventual complications and to prevent the patients from spreading the bacteria to healthy subjects. This approach is in many cases wrong, as you cannot be certain that the streptococcus is to blame for the sore throat until a test swab or a bacterial culture is performed. An unnecessary ant biotherapy could harm the body as it increases the resistance to drugs and may lead to damages due to the chemotherapeutics.

In case of a viral infection, the patient will no longer be contagious when the fever has past one or two days earlier. But for the streptococcus infection, the child is usually able to transmit the disease to others for about three weeks if not treated with antibiotics. Treated patients are considered uncontagious after about 24 hours of antibiotic care when the bacteria are believed to be annihilated by the chemo. Antibiotics are only useful in preventing complications and spreading, but will not decrease the sickness period.

In cases of streptococcus infection inside the family, the parents will like to know how to make sure it does not infect healthy members and also how it can be prevented from reoccurring. Firstly, the toothbrush the child uses must be replaced during treatment with antibiotics and when the therapy is completed, it must be again changed to avoid bacteria from hiding and then re-infecting the patient.

All other dental appliances must be cleaned well daily during the ant biotherapy, especially during the first two days. Having been in contact with the sick family member does not necessarily mean you have also contacted the infection and need to be tested or take antibiotics. Only members that show signs of a streptococcus condition must start treatment as soon as possible without further testing to be required; it is most likely that he has contacted the bacteria from the sock relative.

The most common complication of an untreated streptococcus infection is the rheumatic fever due to an abnormal interaction between the immune system and the bacteria. The microbes are believed to combine with the antibodies and the formed complex can affect the cardiac valves, joints, skin and other parts of the body. Serious symptoms like chest pain, joint aches, difficult breathing or red swollen points on the skin, may occur after several weeks of untreated strep infection and a doctor must be seen immediately.

The second serious damage of streptococcus is glomerulonephritis, the inflammation of the kidneys also caused by antibody-bacteria complexes. It causes kidney failure and blood within urine after a few weeks of infection. Main symptoms are a decreased urine volume, dark colored urine and swelling of the face, feet and ankles.

The occurrence of rheumatic fever can be stopped by antibiotics; glomerulonephritis however cannot. The patients luck is it occurs very rare.

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