Differential diagnosis and effective therapy for sore throat

Abstract

Sore throat is a common complaint, which can be caused by a typical viral pharyngitis, or it can be rooted in a life-threatening disease such as epiglottitis or inflammation of the cellular spaces in the throat and neck. The doctor should take a closer look at a patient with a sore throat, immediately make a differential diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment, including surgical intervention, if necessary.The article discusses the most common causes of a sore throat, including various types of pharyngitis, paratonsillar abscess, parapharyngeal abscess, retropharyngeal abscess, epiglottitis.Viral pharyngitis has a favourable prognosis, resolves without intervention and complications, but bacterial and fungal pharyngitis have a more severe course. Streptococcal pharyngitis caused by group A в-hemolytic streptococcus holds a dominant position in bacterial etiology and requires the use of antibiotic therapy. The differential diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis is based on the modified Centor scores in the routine clinical practice. Antibiotic therapy for streptococcal pharyngitis includes a 10-day course of unprotected penicillins. If a patient has an allergic reaction to penicillins, it is recommended to use clindamycin or clarithromycin. The surgical intervention combined with intramuscular or intravenous antibiotic therapy is recommended for the treatment of purulent processes in the cellular spaces of the neck. These diseases can have life-threatening complications, which include neurological damage, the spread of purulent process in the mediastinum with the development of mediastinitis, laryn-geal stenosis, sepsis, necrotizing fasciitis, jugular vein thrombosis and erosion of the carotid artery. The third generation cephalosporins and protected penicillins are recommended for the treatment of epiglottitis, and respiratory fluoroquinolones are used, if a patient has a history of allergic reactions to penicillins. In severe cases with symptoms of stenosis, intubation can be performed in addition to the use of antibiotics.