Guide To The Causes And Complications Of Strep Throat

Time Of Year

The changes in weather that occur during certain times of the year can contribute to the increased prevalence of strep throat infections in individuals of the general population. While strep throat infections can occur at any time during the year, they occur most commonly in the months of early spring, late fall, and winter. It is thought that this increase in prevalence occurs because children return to school in the fall, and stay in attendance through late spring. Another contributing factor related to the time of year is the amount of sleep school-aged children get during the school year.

Fewer hours of sleep overall causes the body to have less immunity against pathogens like group A streptococcus bacteria than it would otherwise. An additional consideration when it comes to the higher prevalence of strep throat during these times of the year is the fact strep throat can occur concurrently with other viral respiratory infections. An individual who has a common cold and strep throat simultaneously is more likely to be coughing and sneezing, expelling droplets of contaminated saliva into the air.

Infection Can Spread

An individual who develops a strep throat infection that is not treated promptly or correctly is at an increased risk of having complications like the infection spreading to other parts of their body. The strep throat infection can spread to the middle ear and produce otitis media, a middle ear infection. Group A streptococcus bacteria can spread into the central nervous system and cause the spinal canal lining and brain lining to become infected, an infection known as meningitis. Strep throat patients may develop pneumonia or an infection in their lungs as a complication of their illness.

A patient can develop a retro-pharyngeal abscess, an abscess around the tonsils, and a peritonsillar abscess, an abscess behind their throat, when their strep throat infection spreads. It is uncommon for an individual to develop another infection in the body due to the spread of strep throat when they are treated appropriately with antibiotics.