Angina, or acute tonsillitis, is an inflammation of the tonsils or tonsils. This disease does not distinguish between children and adults, affects all social groups and can be very dangerous if improperly treated. Is angina contagious, how can I get infected and what are the measures for the prevention of this disease - questions that we will answer in this article.
Angina or tonsillitis?
The name of the disease "tonsillitis" comes from the Latin word tonsillae - "tonsils", and the word "tonsillitis" - from the Latin ango - "squeeze, squeeze." The second name is considered everyday, but both of them characterize one disease, characterized by inflammation of the organs of the near-pharyngeal lymphatic ring - part of the peripheral immune system. It is located on the border of the pharynx and oral cavity and is an accumulation of lymphoid tissues. The largest clusters are called tonsils (tonsils are paired palatine tonsils). The etiology of this disease is diverse, it can be caused by pathogens of bacterial and viral nature. The answer to the question "Is angina contagious" depends on the pathogen. The disease has been known to people since ancient times. Even in the manuscripts of the doctor of Hippocrates, who lived in the IV century BC, symptoms of tonsillitis are described.
Etiology of the disease
In 50% of cases, the causative agents of tonsillitis are streptococcus and staphylococcus bacteria, sometimes their combination. Enteroviruses, type 1-9 adenoviruses, herpes virus and Coxsackie cause viral tonsillitis, the symptoms of which develop more rapidly. Less commonly, specific bacteria (Vincent’s spirochete) and fungi (Candida genus) become pathogens. The latent (incubation) period of a sore throat largely depends on the specifics of the pathogen and the method of infection.
Types of Tonsillitis
Most often, primary sore throats (vulgar or banal) are found - this is an acute inflammatory process in the lymphadenoid ring. With scarlet fever, mononucleosis and diphtheria, secondary (symptomatic) tonsillitis develops. Secondary tonsillitis can also develop in diseases associated with the circulatory and lymphatic systems (agranulocytosis, leukemia). Another specific type of tonsillitis is isolated - these tonsillitis is caused by specific infections (for example, Simanovsky-Vincent tonsillitis) or fungal infections, which is not so common.
Depth of Defeat
Depending on the nature and severity of the lesion of the periopharyngeal ring, mild and severe forms of course and the following types of tonsillitis are distinguished:
- Catarrhal. The easiest form of tonsillitis. Tonsils enlarged and affected mainly superficially. Body temperature is stable and low-grade (37-38 ° ). When examined by a pharyngoscope, there is a bright hyperemia of the soft and hard palate, the posterior pharyngeal wall. Within 1-2 days, the inflammation subsides, or catarrhal angina passes into another, more severe form.
- Lacunar. The defeat of tonsil lacunae with purulent friable plaque forming foci or films that are removed without leaving bleeding wounds. Body temperature rises to 40 ° C. Intoxication develops, manifested in pains in the heart, muscles, joints.
- Follicular. The clinical picture is similar to lacunar tonsillitis, but tonsil follicles are affected. The glands swell, inflamed follicles are visible inside, which gradually open and form a plaque of pus that spreads only on the tonsils.
- Fibrinous-membranous. Already in the first hours of the disease, fibrinous plaque in the form of a film develops on the tonsils. The onset of the disease is acute, with fever and severe intoxication. This type of sore throat is also called dipteroid.
More rare types of tonsillitis
The more rare forms of tonsillitis include:
- Phlegmous. Mostly one-sided purulent fusion of the tonsil. It is accompanied by inflammation of the regional lymph nodes, painful on palpation. The temperature is increased to 40 ° C. A characteristic feature is an asymmetric pharynx and a shift of the tongue to the healthy side.
- Necrotic. A very severe form, in which necrotic areas with a pitted yellow-green surface go deep into the tonsils. After their removal, deep bleeding defects remain. Angina is accompanied by fever, fever, pain, confused consciousness.
- Ulcerative. This sore throat occurs without fever and is characterized by necrotic unilateral lesion with ulcerative symptoms on the tonsil. The reason is the symbiosis of oral bacteria (rods and spirochetes).
Herpetic tonsillitis
This is a very contagious form of the disease, affecting mainly children. Herpetic Coxsackie A virus is the causative agent of this sore throat. Ways of transmission of infection are airborne, less commonly fecal-oral. The disease develops rapidly, accompanied by fever, sore throat and muscles, temperatures up to 40 ° C. There may be abdominal pain and diarrhea. Red vesicles appear on the tonsils, palate and posterior pharynx, which burst for 3-4 days. After that, the mucous membranes return to normal.
Clinic and Diagnostics
The general clinic of angina is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Sore throat when swallowing, redness of the throat and swelling of the tonsils.
- The temperature rises above 38 ° C.
- Weakness and aches in the body.
- Swelling of the cervical lymph nodes.
These symptoms are similar to other diseases, so do not guess if the sore throat is contagious or not, but you should immediately consult a doctor. Modern medicine has an extensive base for the diagnosis of this dangerous disease.
The tool base for the diagnosis of angina includes the collection of biomaterial (pus and mucus) from the tonsils and analysis:
- culture media in order to determine whether angina is contagious to others, what is the type of pathogen, its resistance to antibiotics;
- tests for antigens of microorganisms of a certain type;
- tests for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allow you to determine the type of pathogen by pieces of DNA in the mucus.
Is tonsillitis always contagious?
Contact even with patients with acute tonsillitis does not always lead to infection. This indicates the dual nature of this disease - its infectious and non-contagious nature. If it is an infectious acute form (transmission by air or household items), then tonsillitis is contagious. In this type of sore throat, the incubation period during which the patient is contagious can last up to 12 days. Non-infectious tonsillitis is associated with self-infection and this form is not transmitted even with kisses.
Risk factors
Most varieties of angina have moderate infectivity. But for the transmission of the disease from a patient to a healthy person, at least two factors are necessary:
- The presence of infection and the way it enters the body.
- Decreased natural immunity, which leads to hypothermia or allergic reactions. They make tonsils an easy target for bacteria and viruses.
Therefore, you should not guess whether angina is contagious to others if there is a sick person in the family. It is worth immediately taking measures to prevent the spread of infection.
Infections - Stop
Whether angina is a contagious disease, whether or not your immune system is weakened, these are secondary issues. When a patient appears in the family, it is immediately necessary to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of everyone who contacts him.
- Both the patient and others must wear special medical masks.
- An infected patient should use only individual household items that must be washed thoroughly after use. Bath accessories should also be individual, and the towel must be changed every day.
- During treatment and after it is necessary to replace the toothbrush.
- In the room where the patient is located, it is advisable to carry out daily quartzization and ensure frequent ventilation.
Remember - the risk of contracting sore throat by airborne droplets is quite high. But the question of “whether angina is contagious to others” will not bother you if you take care in advance to strengthen your immunity, lead a healthy lifestyle and observe the rules of personal hygiene. A healthy organism is not afraid of an infection - nature has taken care of us!
Angina is dangerous complications
Even with timely medical attention and adequate treatment, this disease is dangerous due to its complications. They can be local in nature - abscesses of nearby tissues, otitis media, swelling of the larynx, bleeding from the affected tonsils. But common complications are more dangerous, which can threaten the health and even human life. These include: joint damage (rheumatism), kidney damage (pyelonephritis), which can develop into kidney failure. The infection can spread to the chest cavity and into the cranial cavity, which will lead to inflammatory processes of the meninges. The gastrointestinal tract often suffers, which may be accompanied by inflammation of the appendix. The worst complication is sepsis (infection entering the bloodstream), which can end fatally.