Streptococcal Infections

What are streptococcal infections?

Strep is short for Streptococcus, a type of bacteria that often lives in your nose and throat. Most strep infections are mild, but some may become serious depending on your overall health.

There are several types of strep. Two of them cause most of the strep infections in people: group A and group B.

There are different ways that streptococcal infections may spread:

• Group A strep can be spread from a person who has the infection, even if they don't feel sick, when:
  • They cough or sneeze
  • You share a glass or utensil with them
  • You touch something with the bacteria on it and then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose
  • You touch their open wound or sore
• Group B strep can be passed to a newborn through fluids during a vaginal birth

• Group A strep infections are most common in children ages 5 to 15, but adults can get them too. You may be at higher risk if you have a weakened immune system, open sores or wounds, or certain viral infections such as a cold or flu.
• Group B strep is most often a concern for newborns. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially those 65 or older or who already have other health problems.

Symptoms depend on the type of infection. Most group A strep infections are mild, but some can be serious.

Group A strep may cause:

• 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 that spreads across the body.
• Impetigo. A skin infection that causes sores or blisters, often around the mouth, nose, or on the arms and legs.
• Cellulitis. A skin infection that causes redness, swelling, and pain, usually on the legs.
• Necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease). A rare but serious infection that spreads quickly through the skin and tissue.
• Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. A rare but life-threatening illness where the bacteria release toxins that can cause organ failure.

Group B strep may cause:

• Blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns
• Urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections, and pneumonia in adults

Group A strep. How strep is diagnosed depends on the type of infection. Your healthcare provider will usually diagnose strep throat with a rapid test or a throat culture. Other strep infections may require a physical exam, lab tests, imaging, or in some cases, surgery.

Group B strep. If you are pregnant, your provider will typically screen you for group B strep around 36 to 37 weeks.

Your treatment will depend on the type of infection:

• Group A strep infections often go away on their own after about a week. If you need treatment, your provider will likely prescribe antibiotics. More serious (invasive) group A strep infections may require you to receive antibiotics in a hospital. Without treatment, these infections can lead to serious health problems.
• Group B strep infections in pregnant women are treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor to protect the newborn. Adults with group B strep infections are also treated with antibiotics.

You can help prevent some group A strep infections by practicing good hygiene habits, including:

• Avoiding close contact with someone who has an infection
• Washing your hands often with soap and water
• Covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze

To help prevent group B strep infections in newborns, you should get screened during pregnancy. If you test positive, antibiotics given during labor can protect your baby.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. It infects the genital area, lips, mouth, or anus of both men and women. You usually get syphilis from sexual contact with someone who has it. It can also pass from mother to baby during pregnancy.

The early stage of syphilis usually causes a single, small, painless sore. Sometimes it causes swelling in nearby lymph nodes. If you do not treat it, syphilis usually causes a non-itchy skin rash, often on your hands and feet. Many people do not notice symptoms for years. Symptoms can go away and come back.

The sores caused by syphilis make it easier to get or give someone HIV during sex. If you are pregnant, syphilis can cause complications, or you could lose your baby. In rare cases, syphilis causes serious health problems and even death.

Syphilis is easy to cure with antibiotics if you catch it early. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading syphilis. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia is a rare disorder that causes a cyst to form in your spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, gets bigger and longer over time, destroying part of the spinal cord. Damage to the spinal cord from the syrinx can cause symptoms such as :

• Pain and weakness in the back, shoulders, arms or legs
• Headaches
• Inability to feel hot or cold

Symptoms vary according to the size and location of the syrinx. They often begin in early adulthood.

Syringomyelia usually results from a skull abnormality called a Chiari I malformation. A tumor, meningitis or physical trauma can also cause it. Surgery is the main treatment. Some people also need to have the syrinx drained. Medicines can help ease pain. In some cases, there are no symptoms, so you may not need treatment.

Tailbone Disorders

The tailbone is the small bone at the bottom of your backbone, or spine. Tailbone disorders include tailbone injuries, pain, infections, cysts and tumors. You rarely break your tailbone. Instead, most injuries cause bruises or pulled ligaments. A backward fall onto a hard surface, such as slipping on ice, is the most common cause of such injuries. Symptoms of various tailbone disorders include pain in the tailbone area, pain upon sitting, pain or numbness in the arms or legs due to pressure on nerves in the tailbone area, and a mass or growth you can see or feel.

Thymus Cancer

The thymus is a small organ in your upper chest, under your breastbone. Before birth and during childhood, the thymus helps the body make a type of white blood cell. These cells help protect you from infections.

Cancer of the thymus is rare. You are more likely to get it if you have other diseases such as myasthenia gravis, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Other times, thymus cancer can cause:

• A cough that doesn't go away
• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing

Doctors use a physical exam, imaging tests, and a biopsy to diagnose thymus cancer. The most common treatment is surgery to remove the tumor. Other options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

NIH: National Cancer Institute