Pharyngitis

Background

Anatomy of the posterior pharynx.
  • 2% of all ED visits
  • Viral is most common
    • Exudates do not mean bacterial- most common cause of exudative pharyngitis is still viral

Streptococcal pharyngitis

  • Accounts for only 15-30% of pharyngitis
  • Peak in 5-15yr old
  • Rare in <2yr of age

Clinical Features

Generalized erythema of the pharnyx, consistent with pharyngitis.
culture positive strep pharyngitis with typical tonsillar exudate

Modified Centor Criteria[1]

One point is given for each of the criteria:[1]

  1. Absence of a cough
  2. Swollen and tender cervical lymph nodes
  3. Temperature >38.0 °C (100.4 °F)
  4. Tonsillar exudate or swelling
  5. Age less than 15^
    • Subtract a point if age >44
Modified Centor score
Points Probability of Streptococcal pharyngitis
1 or fewer <10%
2 11–17%
3 28–35%
4 or 5 52%

Complications

Differential Diagnosis

Acute Sore Throat

Bacterial infections

Viral infections

Noninfectious

Other

Oral rashes and lesions

Evaluation

Rapid Antigen Detection Test Algorithm for Acute Pharyngitis[3]

Category Testing and Treatment
Clinical features strongly suggesting viral etiology (eg. cough, rhinorrhea, hoarseness, oral ulcers)
  • None
<3 years old
  • None because immature immune system not mature enough to develop anti-streptolysin O (ASO) antibodies and acute rheumatic fever[4].
    • Unless they have a special risk factor (e.g. older sibling with GAS infection)
CENTOR = 1
  • None
None of the above with CENTOR ≥2
  • Send rapid antigen detection test
    • Positive = treat
    • Negative
      • Children and adolescents
        • Send back up throat culture (treat later, if positive)
      • Adults
        • None (no need for back up throat culture)

Diagnostic testing or empiric treatment of asymptomatic household contacts of patients with acute streptococcal pharyngitis is not routinely recommended

Management

Antibiotics

Treatment can be delayed for up to 9 days and still prevent major sequelae

Penicillin Options:[5]

  • Penicillin V 250mg PO BID x 10d (child) or 500mg BID x 10d (adolescent or adult)
  • Bicillin L-A <27 kg: 0.6 million units; ≥27 kg: 1.2 million units IM x 1
  • Amoxicillin 500-875 mg PO q12h or 250-500 PO q8h for 10d[6]

Penicillin allergic (mild):[5]

  • Cefuroxime 10mg/kg PO QID x 10d (child) or 250mg PO BID x 4d
  • Cefixime 400mg/day PO in single daily dose x10d or divided q12hr x10d

Penicillin allergic (anaphylaxis):[5]

  • Clindamycin 7.5mg/kg PO QID x 10d (child) or 450mg PO TID x 10d OR
  • Azithromycin 12mg/kg QD (child) or 500mg on day 1; then 250mg on days 2-5

Steroids

Disposition

  • Discharge

See Also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Choby BA (March 2009). "Diagnosis and treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis". Am Fam Physician 79 (5): 383–90. PMID 19275067.
  2. ↑ Melio, Frantz, and Laurel Berge. “Upper Respiratory Tract Infection.” In Rosen’s Emergency Medicine., 8th ed. Vol. 1, n.d.
  3. ↑ Shulman, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Group A Streptococcal Pharyngitis: 2012 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2012;55(10):1279–82
  4. ↑ David Cisewski An Understated Myth? Strep Throat & Rheumatic Fever
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Shulman, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Group A Streptococcal Pharyngitis: 2012 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2012;55(10):1279–82
  6. ↑ Shah, U. K., MD. (2020, October 14). Tonsillitis and Pharyngitis Organism-Specific Therapy: Specific Organisms and Therapeutic Regimens. Emedicine. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2011872-overview
  7. ↑ EBQ:TOAST Trial
  8. ↑ Olympia, R. P. (2003). The Effectiveness of Oral Dexamethasone in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Pharyngitis in Children and Young Adults. Academic Emergency Medicine, 10(5). doi: 10.1197/aemj.10.5.434-a
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