Herpetic tonsillitis: symptoms, causes and treatment

Herpetic tonsillitis or herpes sore throat( vesicular, aphthous pharyngitis) is a type of angina that is an acute infectious disease that is quite common among young people.

Herpetic angina is caused by the penetration into the body of a child or adult Coxsackie viruses of group A, viruses serovars 2-6, 8, 10, less ESNO viruses and Coxsackie viruses of group B.

Children of preschool, junior and middle school age are more often ill. Adults in many cases become infected in the family, from children. Herpangin is transmitted by airborne droplets, through dirty hands, toys, baby bottles and nipples, food.

The disease is most severe for children under three years old. At the youngsters who are breastfed, in the first months of life, the herpes form of tonsillitis is rarely detected.

Causes of

Why does herpetic angina occur, and what is it? Pathogen Coxsackie virus - transmitted by airborne droplets, through contaminated food( fruits, vegetables, milk), fecal-oral. Often the incidence increases in the summer.

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Getting into the mucous nasopharynx, the Coxsackie virus penetrates the intestines and lymph nodes where it multiplies extensively. On the third day of illness, a critical number of viruses is found in the blood. This greatly facilitates them access to the nervous and muscle tissue, which determines the overall severe condition of the patient.

Symptoms of herpetic sore throat

The incubation period is from 2 to 10 days( usually 3 to 4 days).The disease always begins acutely and violently, with the following symptoms of :

increase in body temperature( sometimes up to 40 - 41 ° C);
chills;
headache;
changes in the mucous membrane of the oropharynx;
Pain when swallowing.

In adults, the distinctive symptom of herpetic sore throat is the appearance on the back wall of the pharynx, tonsils, soft palate, tongue, the front of the oral cavity of small reddish vesicles with serous( light, not cloudy) contents reminiscent of herpetic lesions.

Over time, spots form ulcers, which causes the patient great inconvenience, because they are very sore. Then the sores grow into vesicles that have a serous filling. They burst and form ulcers. As a rule, they number from 5 to 20 pieces. In some cases, the vesicles may merge, which leads to fairly large lesions on the mucous throat and oral cavity.

Symptoms of herpetic sore throat in children

It is very important that the child is examined by a specialist, since the symptoms on the first day of the illness are very similar to the flu. These include:

chills;
is a common cold;
weakness, severe malaise;
headaches;
loss of appetite;
very high temperature.

The local manifestation of herpes sore throat is characterized by the following symptoms:

Reddening of the mucous membranes of the anatomical formations of the oral cavity during the day( tonsils, palatine douches, soft palate and tongue).
The appearance of papules on the oral mucosa, 24 hours after reddening.
In the future, the formation of vesicles( within 48 hours), which after dissection leave aphthous ulcers.
Formation in severe cases of erosive lesions, after the confluence of aft.
Manifestation of lymphadenopathy( in the parotid, submandibular and cervical region).
With prolonged flow, characteristic rashes are observed on the hands and feet.

With an erased form of the disease, only the oropharynx can be affected. In the case of weakened immunity, the herpangina flows undulating. Severe symptomatology is observed with a sequence of 2-3 days. In a typical course, herpes sore throat in children goes on recession in a week.

Herpetic sore throat: photo

How this disease looks in children and adults, presents detailed photos:

Diagnosis

Before you figure out how to treat herpetic sore throat, you must correctly diagnose. For this purpose, virological and serological examinations are handed over:

Serological study of involves the use of special sera. They are collected at the beginning of the disease, and then 2 weeks later. The purpose of this analysis is to fix the growth level of the antibody titer.
Virological examination of involves the delivery of pharyngeal swabs. This material is given no later than 3 - 5 days from the time of the course of the disease.

The most reliable and proven diagnostic method is immunofluorescence, which is based on the detection of fluorochrome antibodies.

Complications of

Pathogens entering the blood can spread rapidly throughout the body, causing a number of severe consequences:

meningitis is an inflammatory process in the membranes of the brain and spinal cord;
encephalitis - inflammation in certain parts of the brain;
myocarditis - a strong inflammation of the heart muscle.

Therefore, at the first signs of herpetic sore throat should not hesitate to consult a doctor and begin treatment activities.

Treatment of herpetic sore throat

If an adult is diagnosed with herpes sore throat, complex treatment includes isolation of the patient, general and local treatment. The patient needs a lot of drinking, taking liquid or semi-liquid food, which excludes irritation of the oral mucosa.

In general, the treatment of herpetic sore throat in adults is symptomatic:

Antipyretic agents( "Paracetamol or Ibuprofen") are prescribed at high temperature.
For , the use of antihistamines( Claritin, Fenkarol, Suprastin, Diazolin) is indicated for the removal of edema and redness of the mucosa and relief of respiration .
For the , the pain sensations in the oral cavity accept various lozenges and lozenges for absorption( "Pharyngosept", "Strepsils", "Terasil"), which have antiseptic and bactericidal action.
A good effect is also observed if irrigate the oral cavity or nose with local preparations of based on interferon, lubricate the throat with Acyclovir, Interferon.
After general and local treatment should be provided for the organization of rational nutrition and the inclusion of immunomodulators( imunon, immunal, etc.) in therapy.
Inhalation and compressions are unacceptable, since the heat effect increases blood circulation, which leads to intensification of viremia( spread of the virus).
Antibiotics in the treatment of herpangins are useless to , since their active components are effective against bacteria, but are powerless against viruses. Therefore, it is so important to establish what is the causative agent of the infection. Coxsackie and ECHO viruses have specific morphology, antigenic structure, biochemical properties.

Since inflammation is exposed to permanent trauma, healing takes place for at least two weeks. In order to increase the effectiveness of oral drugs and speed up the process of epithelialization, procedures such as ultrasound of the nasopharynx, the action of a helium-neon laser are prescribed.

Than to gargle?

Sore throat is well removed by such methods:

rinsing of the throat with decoctions of oak bark, sage;
irrigation of the pharynx by Geksoral, Jox, Tantum Verde, Cameton;
pharyngeal treatment by Lugol, propolis tincture solution, chlorophyllipt;
rinsing of the throat with a solution of calendula tincture, eucalyptus;
resorption of pastilles, tablets with a distracting and enveloping action;
treatment of the pharynx with sodium tetraborate solution on glycerol, Castellani liquid, lidocaine solution 2%.

It is strictly forbidden to carry out inhalations, do compresses with an infection such as herpes sore throat. All these drugs have antiseptic, enveloping and analgesic effect.

Treatment of angina in children: Dr. Komarovsky

Herpetic angina in children is treated at home. A sick child should be isolated from healthy family members. The doctor prescribes antiseptic rinsing of the mouth, an abundant warm drink. To reduce the temperature, antipyretic agents are used, and pain relievers are used to relieve pain in the throat. Since the disease is caused by a virus, it is possible to use antiviral therapy in treatment.

More information about treatment of sore throats can be found by watching a video of the popular pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky:

The sick child is assigned bed rest, while it is necessary to moisturize and air the room well, and also observe a drinking regime. Also, an important remedy that helps fight against sore throat is regular gargling. This helps to purge the purulent formations and microbes, remove the swelling of the tonsils, "neutralize" the infection and will lead to a rapid recovery.

Prognosis and prevention

For children with herpetic sore throat and contact persons, quarantine is established for 14 days. In the epidotic zone, current and final disinfection is carried out. In most cases, herpetic angina in children ends in recovery. When generalizing a viral infection, multiple organ failure is possible. Lethal outcomes are usually observed among children of the first years of life with the development of meningitis.