Conclusion

=****__CONCLUSION __**** = The location of the pharynx makes it an easy target for infection entering via the nose and mouth by aerosols from an already infected person or by eating food contaminated with the etiological agent. Though viruses are the main infectious agents of the pharynx, bacterial agents also account for a lower percentage. Many features like epidemiological factors such as; the season of the year and age of the patient, clinical factors and usefulness together with the availability of treatment must also be taken into perspective for diagnostic purposes.

The 6 year old boys’ medical history indicated the absence of previous health problems thus, this was just an opportunistic bacterial infection. The patients’ age was considered, the season in which the disease occurred, the rapid onset of the disease, as well as the common diseases in children of his age group and they all were pointers suggesting acute pharyngitis. Though numerous diseases had very similar symptoms, the sore throat decision rule with defining signs/symptoms i.e. presence of throat exudates, enlarged sub-mandibular glands, fever, and absence of runny nose and cough are classic symptoms/signs of acute pharyngitis caused by group A β-hemolytic streptococcus. The infectious agent can further be confirmed using either a rapid strep test or throat culture or both.

GABHS usually left untreated can be good opportunity for complications to arise e.g. Kidney damage. Thus, it is highly advisable to treat all cases of GABHS related acute pharyngitis.

The treatment plan is most likely to include an analgesic for pain relief and oral Penicillin/its derivatives e.g. amoxicillin as the patient is still young. Amoxicillin is easily absorbed and is thus most likely to be prescribed for treatment of acute pharyngitis in comparison to other treatments. Misuse of antibiotics should also be taken into consideration so as to avoid resistance. GABHS vaccines are also being developed. An approach to this has been to put together small amino-terminal M-protein peptides in order to produce vaccines which are multivalent and would exhibit opsonic antibodies against GAS serotypes.