BACTERIAL PHARYNGITIS

Course overview

PHARYNGITIS, MORE COMMONLY DESCRIBED AS SORE THROAT, REPRESENTS INFLAMMATION OR IRRITATION OF THE POSTERIOR OROPHARYNX. WHILE THE MAJORITY OF CASES ARISE BY EITHER NON-INFECTIOUS OR NON-BACTERIAL CAUSES, BACTERIA ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF PHARYNGEAL INFECTIONS, AND THESE INFECTIONS PRESENT DIFFERENTLY, HAVE DIFFERENT COMPLICATIONS, AND REQUIRE DIFFERENT TREATMENT. THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF BACTERIAL PHARYNGITIS, INCLUDING HOW TO ASSESS THE LIKELIHOOD OF BACTERIAL CAUSES IN GENERAL AND WHEN TO CONSIDER THE MORE UNCOMMON BACTERIA AND MORE SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS. THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE TOPIC FOR AN AUDIENCE OF FRONT-LINE AND SPECIALIST PROVIDERS AND THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAMS TO CLARIFY BOTH THE DISEASE AND THE ROLES FOR INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS IN EVALUATING AND TREATING THIS CONDITION.