Do you feel a scratchiness in your throat and pain when swallowing? You may be suffering from strep throat, a contagious infection caused by bacteria. While the main cause of strep is Group A Streptococcus or “GAS” people do not contract it often from another person. That’s right—not all cases of GAS are spread through contact, meaning there are other potential causes of strep throat that can increase your risk. In this article, we will talk about the main causes of strep throat.
How is Strep Throat Caused?
So, what causes strep throat? The bacteria responsible for strep throat is known as Streptococcus pyogenes or group A Streptococcus (GAS). The following are the modes of transmission of this bacterium:
- Strep throat can be easily contracted by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after coming in contact with this bacterium, such as when someone with strep throat coughs or sneezes.
- The lesser-known mode of transmission is through sharing food or a drink with an active strep throat infection.
- Beware of everyday objects like doorknobs or faucets that can harbor group A strep bacteria and potentially lead to you catching strep throat just by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Don't forget about young children who are prone to putting objects in their mouths and can also contract strep throat this way.
The following are factors that increase the risk of acquiring strep throat:
- Close contact with a person who has strep throat puts you at risk.
- Crowded settings like schools, daycare centers, and military facilities increase your chances.
- The age range of 5 to 15 is more susceptible to contracting strep throat.
- Having a school-aged child also raises your risk.
- Adult professionals in close contact with children, such as teachers or healthcare professionals, can be more prone.
Furthermore, did you know most adult cases occur in those under the age of 40? Given that close contact is the primary mode of transmission, it's important to take precautions within your household.
Conclusion
In conclusion, strep throat is a very contagious bacterial infection that can impact individuals of all ages. Contact of the Streptococcus pyogenes bacterium with droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze is the main cause of strep throat. It is beneficial to understand the causes of strep throat, practice good hygiene and sanitation methods like frequent hand washing along with avoiding contact with infected persons. Keeping up preventive measure such as these can markedly reduce the likelihood of contracting strep throat and increase everyone’s overall health. Additionally, it is best that you have the apt health insurance coverage for strep throat and other conditions.