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Strep throat is a bacterial infection in the throat and tonsils. Healthcare providers can do a quick test to see if a sore throat is strep throat. Antibiotics can help people with strep throat feel better faster.
What it is

Strep throat is a bacterial infection in the throat and tonsils.

Worried your sore throat may be strep throat? Viruses cause most sore throats. Only around 1 in 10 adults and 3 in 10 children with a sore throat have strep throat. Learn which symptoms point to a viral infection
Symptoms

It usually takes 2 to 5 days after exposure to become ill with strep throat.

Common symptoms may include:

Fever Pain when swallowing Red and swollen tonsils Sore throat that started very quickly and may look red Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth, called petechiae White patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils View LargerDownload
Swelling, redness, and white patches are common symptoms of strep throat.

Less common symptoms, especially for children, may include:

Headache Nausea or vomiting Rash (scarlet fever) Stomach pain Complications

Complications can occur after a strep throat infection if the bacteria spread to other parts of the body.

Complications can include:

Abscesses (pockets of pus) around the tonsils or in the neck Ear infections Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (a kidney disease) Rheumatic fever (a disease affecting the heart, joints, brain, skin) Sinus infections
Risk factors

Anyone can get strep throat, but some factors increase the risk of getting it.

Strep throat is more common in children than adults.

Most common: Children 5 through 15 years old Rare: Children younger than 3 years old Close contact

Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. For example, if someone has strep throat, the bacteria often spread to other people in their household.

Contact with children: Parents of school-age children and adults who are often in contact with children are at increased risk.

Crowded settings can increase the risk of getting any group A streptococcal infection including strep throat. These settings include:

Daycare centers and schools Detention or correctional facilities Homeless shelters Military training facilities
Causes

Group A Streptococcus (group A strep bacteria) cause strep throat and are contagious.

Keep Reading: Causes and How the Bacteria Spread
Prevention

People can take steps to help protect themselves and others from group A strep infections, including strep throat.

Keep Reading: Preventing Group A Strep Infection
Similar conditions Viral sore throat

The following symptoms suggest a virus, not strep throat, is the cause of a sore throat:

Cough Runny nose Hoarseness (changes in voice to sound breathy, raspy or strained) Conjunctivitis (pink eye) What's it mean to be a strep carrier? Some people can test positive for group A strep bacteria but have no symptoms. Are they contagious? Do they need antibiotics? Learn more about strep carriers

Group A strep bacteria can cause many different types of infections including strep throat, scarlet fever, necrotizing fasciitis, and more.

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