Tonsillopharyngitis - Acute Disease Summary

Overview

Acute tonsillopharyngitis is an acute infection of the pharynx, palatine tonsils, or both as stated in the Introduction section.

Acute tonsillopharyngitis is one of the most common conditions physicians encounter.  A detailed discussion about the prevalence of acute tonsillopharyngitis is in the Epidemiology section.

Viruses are the most common cause of acute tonsillopharyngitis, and the remaining is bacterial in nature. Discussion on these pathogens is in the Etiology section.  

The Pathophysiology section states that acute tonsillopharyngitis spreads through person-to-person contact, usually through saliva or nasal secretions from an infected person. The primary reservoir of group A Streptococcus are humans. The development process of acute tonsillopharyngitis in patients infected is in this section.

Tonsillopharyngitis - Acute_Disease Summary

History and Physical Examination

The Clinical Presentation section describes the clinical features suggestive of viral and bacterial origins of acute tonsillopharyngitis. 

Diagnosis

The Diagnosis or Diagnostic Criteria section features the Centro criteria that is used to assess the group A β-hemolytic Streptococcal (GABS) infection. It also features the FeverPAIN score used to assess the start of antibiotic treatment.

Discussion on GABS pharyngitis testing, throat swab culture, rapid antigen detection test and other tests for other etiologies of acute tonsillopharyngitis is in the Laboratory Tests and Ancillaries section.  

Other diseases that can present with the same symptoms as acute tonsillopharyngitis are listed in the Differential Diagnosis section.

Management

Patients should be assessed for respiratory distress that would warrant urgent management or hospitalization. Red flags that should watch out for are enumerated in the Evaluation section.

General therapy principles and management of recurrent episodes of acute pharyngitis are in the Principles of Therapy section.

The Pharmacological Therapy section discusses in detail the symptomatic therapy and antibiotic therapy as well as the duration of the therapy.

The Nonpharmacological section includes things to educate the patient about the management of acute tonsillopharyngitis.  

Surgical removal of the tonsils may also be considered. Indications for surgical removal of the tonsils are in the Surgery section.

The Monitoring section identifies indications for follow-up cultures or rapid antigen test.