Sore throat affects adults and children, young people and the elderly. What is the reason for this? The causative agent of sore throat has highly contagious properties, is quite stable in the external environment. Once in a weakened organism, it is able to multiply rapidly. The easiest way of infection contributes to the rapid spread: airborne droplets. A sore throat is a common symptom in many diseases. It is usually called a sore throat, although this is not entirely justified from a scientific point of view. Rather, it is a popular definition.
Actually angina, as a concept, is diagnosed only with bacterial inflammation of the tonsils - tonsillitis. The disease occurs after contact with a sick person.
Angina - etiology
Angina translated from Latin means "squeeze". Indeed, when the throat is sore, it becomes difficult to swallow. The infectious disease is acute and is characterized by the manifestation of a local reaction in the form of inflamed tonsils to the ingress of a pathogen or the action of an irritant (allergic tonsillitis). Palatine tonsils react more often, less often other types of lymphoid structures. The localization of the inflammatory process determines the name of the sore throat:
- palatine;
- lingual;
- laryngeal;
- retronasal.
Sore throat in terms of contagiousness is second only to influenza and respiratory diseases of a viral nature, as it is transmitted rapidly.
Properties of the causative agent of sore throat
The disease manifests itself seasonally. The peak of the disease occurs in the spring-autumn period. Contributes to infection, weakening of the immune system, increased air humidity when the temperature drops. Such conditions are ideal for the development and circulation of the pathogen.
Freezing preserves the pathogen while maintaining all virulent properties, but high temperatures destroy it. If it concerns a viral or bacterial sore throat, then the pathogen is inactivated at a temperature of 20-22 ° C in 4 hours, and 50 ° C is destroyed in 60 minutes. At an ambient temperature of 4 ° C, the pathogen remains virulent for a week.
Causes the appearance of tonsillitis beta - hemolytic streptococcus (80 - 90% of all cases). With associated inflammation, Staphylococcus aureus is isolated, less often Haemophilus influenzae and corynebacteria. Fungi, adenoviruses, spirochetes can participate in the process.
Classification of sore throat
Depending on the development of the outbreak, the infection is classified (according to B.S. Preobrazhensky):
- Episodic - proceeds in the form of autoinfection, with hypothermia, deterioration of nutritional conditions and lifestyle.
- Epidemic - characterized by contagiousness. Sore throat within a few hours is transmitted from person to person, from patient to healthy. Typical for spring and autumn epidemics.
- Sporadic - isolated cases of tonsillitis, observed as a relapse in chronic tonsillitis.
In connection with the nature of the reasons that caused tonsillitis, another characteristic of the infection is given:
- sore throat primary (banal);
- specific;
- secondary (symptomatic).
Symptomatic angina develops as a concomitant symptom in infections (scarlet fever, diphtheria, infectious mononucleosis). Specific - occurs with fungal infection of the tonsils and sore throat of Simanovsky-Plaut-Vincent.
Source of infection
The occurrence of an inflammatory anginal process is associated with the source of the pathogen. The carrier of the causative agent of sore throat is a person who has recovered or is sick. Carriage is observed for 5 - 12 days. The duration depends on how angina is transmitted (methods of infection), the immune status of the body, local resistance (resistance) of lymphoid formations (tonsils, lymph nodes) and the virulence of the pathogen.
The primary focus of inflammation is formed at the gate of infection (the site of entry). The importance of the tonsils as a protective barrier is not exaggerated at all. The further development of the disease will depend on their local response.
During or after acute viral respiratory diseases, sore throat occurs faster. This is due to a decrease in the protective function of the epithelium of the tonsils and nasopharynx, which contributes to the accumulation and reproduction of pathogenic microflora. The spread of the causative agent of sore throat occurs due to the localization of pathogenic organisms in the upper respiratory tract.
The easiest way to get sore throat is in poorly ventilated rooms with a disturbed microclimate (high humidity 60 - 70% and low temperature) with a large crowd of people, public transport.
Pathogenesis (development mechanism) of infection
Ways of getting sore throat
How is angina transmitted from person to person? The infection is transmitted endogenously and exogenously. In endogenous infection, an essential role is played by the intensity of immunity and the degree of conditional pathogenicity of microorganisms. The higher the immune status of the organism, the less likely the transition of saprophytes (permanent inhabitants of the mucous throat) into a pathogenic form and the development of infection. Endogenous infection leads to the development of chronic tonsillitis.
Is angina transmitted by airborne droplets? The answer lies in the transmission mechanism of the pathogen. The main route is airborne. He and the alimentary method of infection are characteristic of the exogenous route of infection.
In the crypts of the tonsils in a sick person, there is a huge amount of the pathogen. When sneezing, coughing or talking with a stream of outgoing air and microparticles (moisture, saliva), microorganisms are released into the external environment, circulating in it for some time. A healthy person becomes infected by inhaling contaminated air. Less commonly, infection is observed in an alimentary way.
The alimentary route of infection involves the penetration of staphylococci and streptococci into the body of a healthy person through contaminated food products - milk, meat, vegetables and fruits that have not undergone mechanical and heat treatment. Infection with these pathogenic elements occurs during contact of products with sick people (carriers of streptococci, staphylococci).
But for the onset and development of anginal inflammation, only the pathogenicity of microbes is not enough. The development of pathological changes will occur in the absence of a protective response from the tonsils and inhibition of the general resistance of the body. With a tension of immunity, the disease may not develop, especially if a small number of virulent microorganisms have entered the body. Chronic inflammatory processes contribute to infection.
Separately, it is worth highlighting herpetic sore throat. With this form of angina, the method of infection is fecal - oral, less often contact (through nasopharyngeal discharge). This route of transmission of the Coxsackie virus (herpes virus) is identical to infection with poliovirus diseases. The source of the pathogen is a sick and ill person. During the passage and mutation of the virus, infection from animals (pigs) is possible.
Angina and conditions for occurrence
How is angina transmitted in adults and children? For the development of sore throat, three components are required:
- The source of the pathogen is a sick person or a carrier of the pathogen. Both release the infection into the external environment.
- Susceptible organism - in the case of angina, everyone is susceptible, especially children and people with reduced resistance.
- The mechanism of transmission - contact communication with patients, carriers or the presence of a healthy person in an infected environment is assumed, even without the presence of sick people.
Exogenous factors (changes in environmental conditions and mode of life, stress, hypothermia, a tendency to allergies) contribute to the occurrence of sore throat when pathogenic microflora enters.
Sore throat symptoms
Clinically, angina will manifest itself in several forms, which depend on the degree of damage to the tonsils:
- catarrhal;
- follicular;
- lacunar;
- necrotic.
The most common and mildest is catarrhal sore throat. Other forms are more painful and difficult.
With any method of infection, the characteristic symptoms of sore throat are distinguished:
- general intoxication of the body (chills, headache, febrile and pyretic fever);
- sore throat when swallowing;
- hyperemia and enlargement of the palatine tonsils;
- white bloom on the tonsils (lacunar tonsillitis);
- an increase in regional lymph nodes (cervical, submandibular).
Important! Active immunity with angina is not formed, this leads to relapses.
Angina and complications
Streptococcus and staphylococci are not limited to local negative effects. Their waste products (toxins), getting into the bloodstream, are carried throughout the body, adversely affecting the heart, genitourinary system and joints. Get a bonus from Pin Up Casino 100% of your first deposit with a wagering wager of x35 for 72 hours! Only on the official Pin Up website the best slot machines, roulette and live dealers.
There are primary and secondary complications of angina:
- Early (primary) complications are noted during the illness and are caused by the spread of the inflammatory process to nearby tissues (lymphadenitis, peritonsillitis, otitis media, sinusitis).
- Late complications (secondary) - develop 3 to 4 weeks after the disease. Their origin is infectious and allergic in nature (rheumatoid myocarditis and arthritis, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis).
Violations of the cardiovascular activity, the functioning of the genitourinary system and the musculoskeletal system develop more often with lacunar, herpetic and necrotic sore throat.
Prevention of sore throat
You can reduce the likelihood of infection if you follow some rules:
- During an epidemic, you should wash your hands more often with soap and water.
- You should be outdoors more often.
- Drink a lot (tea, juice, fruit drinks). Additional irrigation of the oral cavity will reduce the deposition of bacteria and viruses on the surface of the mucous membrane.
- Eat fruits and vegetables. Reduce consumption of salty, spicy, fast foods.
- Avoid hypothermia.
Prevent angina by periodically taking complex vitamin and mineral preparations and immunoprotectors.
Important! Be careful not to postpone the treatment of sore throat. This is especially true for inflammatory processes of a bacterial nature in both adults and children.
If the condition does not improve after 2 to 3 days using traditional methods of therapy, contact your doctor. It may be necessary to use antimicrobial agents. The treatment started on time will prevent the development of complications and will allow you to return to a full-fledged lifestyle in 7-10 days.
