Streptococcal Infections (original) (raw)

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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)

• Strep Throat (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

• Preventing Group B Strep Disease in Newborns (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

• About Scarlet Fever (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

• Glomerulonephritis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

• Glomerulonephritis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

• Sydenham Chorea (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

• About Necrotizing Fasciitis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

• About Strep Throat (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

• Group B Strep Surveillance and Trends (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Strep Throat (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

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

• Group B Strep Infection (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

• 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