Streptococcal Infections | Strep Throat | MedlinePlus

Streptococcal Infections | Strep Throat | MedlinePlus

Streptococcal Infections

Also called: Strep

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• Anti-DNase B
• Antistreptolysin O titer
• Ecthyma
• Erysipelas
• Group B streptococcal septicemia of the newborn
• Group B streptococcus - pregnancy
• Necrotizing soft tissue infection
• Perianal streptococcal cellulitis
• Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (GN)
• Rheumatic fever

Related Health Topics

• Cellulitis
• Impetigo
• Pneumococcal Infections
• Tonsillitis

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Streptococcal Infectionsis the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Streptococcal Infections

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Summary

Strep is short for Streptococcus, a type of bacteria. There are several types. Two of them cause most of the strep infections in people: group A and group B.

Group A strep causes

• Strep throat - a sore, red throat. Your tonsils may be swollen and have white spots on them.
• Scarlet fever - an illness that follows strep throat. It causes a red rash on the body.
• Impetigo - a skin infection
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease)

Group B strep can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. A screening test during pregnancy can tell if you have it. If you do, intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor can save your baby's life. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially if they are 65 or older or already have health problems. Strep B can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections and pneumonia in adults.

Antibiotics are used to treat strep infections.

Start Here

• Group A Streptococcal Infections  (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
• Group B Strep Infection in Adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Strep Throat (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)

Diagnosis and Tests

• ASO: Antistreptolysin O titer (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Rapid Strep Test (American Academy of Family Physicians)
• Strep Test: Rapid (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Strep Test: Throat Culture (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep! (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Glomerulonephritis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Glomerulonephritis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Scarlet Fever: A Group A Streptococcal Infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
• Sydenham Chorea (Saint Vitus Dance)  (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Specifics

• From Paresis to PANDAS and PANS  (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Necrotizing Fasciitis: A Rare Disease, Especially for the Healthy(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
• Strep Throat (American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish
• Toxic Shock Syndrome (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Worried Your Sore Throat May Be Strep? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Rheumatic Fever  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Streptococcal Infections  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Efficacy of an incentive intervention on secondary prophylaxis for young people... 
• Article: Universal antenatal screening for group B streptococcus may cause more harm... 
• Article: Bacteriotherapy with Streptococcus salivarius 24SMB and Streptococcus oralis 89a oral spray... 
• Streptococcal Infections -- see more articles 
• Scarlet fever -- see more articles 

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 

Children

• Group B Strep Infection in Newborns (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Recurring Strep Throat: When Is Tonsillectomy Useful?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Scarlet Fever (Logical Images)
• Scarlet Fever (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Scoop on Strep Throat (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Sepsis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
• Strep Throat (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
• Streptococcal Infections: Not A or B (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
• What about My Child and Rheumatic Fever?  (American Heart Association) - PDF

Teenagers

• Strep Throat (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)
• Toxic Shock Syndrome (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish

Women

• Fast Facts about Group B Strep and Pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Group B Strep Infection (American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Ecthyma (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Erysipelas (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Group B streptococcal septicemia of the newborn (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Group B streptococcus - pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Perianal streptococcal cellulitis (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Rheumatic fever (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Scarlet fever (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Strep throat (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Streptococcal screen (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Throat swab culture (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Toxic shock syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish