Strep throat is an infection of the throat that can make your throat swollen, red and sore. It is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria and typically clears up on its own within a few days to a few weeks. However, in rare cases, strep throat can lead to complications. Complications are either related to the infection itself or the way the immune system responds to it.
Complications of strep throat fall into three categories: nearby infections, deeper infections and immune system complications. If you or a loved one develops strep throat, it can prove beneficial to familiarize yourself with potential complications and the symptoms they cause.
If the antibiotics your doctor prescribes you to treat strep infection do not kill off the bacteria entirely, the infection can spread to nearby areas of the body. When this happens, the following body parts may become infected:
Though uncomfortable, infections of these body parts are rarely cause for concern. Typically, they can be treated with the same antibiotics that you took or are taking for the initial strep infection, albeit at a higher dose. If your doctor believes the antibiotics are ineffective, he or she may prescribe a new medication.
Whereas nearby infections are rarely cause for concern, deeper infections are worrisome. Deeper strep infections, also referred to as “invasive strep infections,” occur when the infection makes its way to the tissues beneath the skin, infecting fat and muscle. Another name for this type of progressive strep infection is “necrotizing fasciitis,” which basically means, “flesh-eating disease.”
Necrotizing fasciitis is life-threatening and should be treated as an urgent medical emergency. Though a scary possibility, know that it is a rare one, with less than 1 in one million strep cases leading to it.
Another scary complication that strep bacteria can cause is blood infection. Blood infection occurs when the bacterium makes its way into the bloodstream, where bacteria typically do not live. When bacteria enter the bloodstream, the resulting condition is called “bacteremia.”
Though also rare, bacteremia caused by strep infection is dangerous, as it can lead to a life-threatening condition called “streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.” This syndrome is characterized by organ failure and has a mortality rate of between 30% to 70%. The mortality rate is high even for individuals who receive prompt and aggressive treatment.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of STSS are mild at first, resembling the standard flu more than toxic shock. For this reason, health organizations urge you to call your doctor or visit the local emergency room if you develop one or more of the following symptoms while dealing with or soon after recovering from strep infection:
Strep can cause other complications deeper within the body. For some people, it can lead to pneumonia which, for some people, can become serious quickly. It can also lead to joint and bone infections.
In addition to widespread infection, strep can cause immune system complications. Top complications of strep infection are as follows:
Some people are more at risk than others for developing strep infection complications. Those people have the following risk factors:
Though there is always the risk of complications when you come down with any illness, you can drastically reduce your risk by following two simple guidelines: Begin treatment as soon after diagnosis as possible and follow doctor’s orders. By doing these two simple things, you can help your body fight off the strep bacteria quickly and, in the process, minimize the risk of it spreading to other parts of your body.