Health Question

[Guest tburr40]

Is Strep throat a common problem?

And how can you protect your self?

Is oral the main cause?x(

[guptasa1]

I'm not sure what you mean exactly. Strep Throat isn't exactly an STD. I think in general it's very contagious period - sex doesn't need to be involved (like a cold or something), but since sex is a very intimate act with close quarters contact, I'm sure it spreads it. I should note I'm no expert, but this is what I think. A look-up at WebMD might help.

[Guest]

>Is Strep throat a common problem?

>And how can you protect your self?

>Is oral the main cause?x(

 

Group A Strep causes "strep throat." You will definitely get it from someone who has it if you kiss him (although you may not get sick). Traditionally, doctors recommend penicillin (or another antibiotic if you're allergic) when you have a strep throat because it protects from the development of rheumatic fever, although "rheumatogenic strains" haven't been seen in the US in years. In California, I believe it's been 30 years since the last case of rheumatic fever. Some studies have shown that if you manage to start antibiotic treatment within the first 24 hours of the illness, that the sore throat will get better a little sooner. Basically, though, the disease is self-limited (i.e. goes away on its own without consequences). It's very common, and nothing to worry about.

[JamesK840]

I'd not had throat problems at all until I became active about two years ago... had Strep a couple times and my tonsils never went back down in size, tried everything, finally had them taken out, which wasn't a lot of fun.

 

Something to keep in mind: inflamed tonsils make it easier to catch other things, so make sure your physician or ENT knows you actively have gay sex and would like to be screened for oral STDs including Gonorrhea.

 

Other then kissing I am not very oral, yet still had constant trouble with my throat. Now, I was a bit slutty, especially at first--bath houses, CL hookups, even a street boy or two... but if a top has those problems wouldn't it be worse for bottoms, especially oral ones?

 

The only surprise in seeing your question for me was why nobody's asked it before...

[VaHawk]

What the FUCK does sexual encounters have to do with strep throat? I suffered from multiple strep throat infections from the time I was 4 years old, and I'm pretty damn sure I wasn't sucking cock back then. The cure, as advocated 40 years ago, is a tonsillectomy which was one hell of a lot more painful at 40 than it would have been at 10!

 

Don't know why anyone would ask for medical advice on an internet message board. Consult a doctor, DUH????????????? It never ceases to amaze me, on the other hand, how all the non medical professionals all offer their "expert advice"!

[OneFinger]

>Don't know why anyone would ask for medical advice on an internet message board. Consult a doctor, DUH????????????? It never ceases to amaze me, on the other hand, how all the non medical professionals all offer their "expert advice"!

 

Hope you're including yourself in the group of "expert" advisers. You're the one dispensing medical advice about a tonsillectomy for strep throat. According to Web MD tonsillectomy for strep only makes a difference for the first 2 years after surgery. Over a long period of time there is no difference in the incidence of strep among those who had the surgery and those who did not.

 

Perhaps you should do more research before offering your "expert" opinion. (Or perhaps you should just stop irritating us with ANY of your opinions.)

[+ deej]

>According to Web MD tonsillectomy for strep only makes

>a difference for the first 2 years after surgery.

 

I'm surprised it's that much considering strep is caused by a VIRUS.

 

But it's an interesting correlation. When I was a kid, I remember other kids having tonsillectomies "just because". I suppose it makes sense if there's an actual correlation between having tonsils and acquiring disease, particularly with a kid prone to ENT problems.

 

Next time I have spare time, I may look into it. Just one of those weird science things that makes you go "huh?"

[traveler1954]

Well there is so much wrong information out there that it has to be clarified by this MD.

Yes, you get strep throat by kissing, or other contact with oral or nasal secretions, etc.

"Strep throat" is caused by a bactertium, NOT a virus. It is not a STD. It is a Group A Streptococcus. It is a very nasty organism. Rheumatic heart disease (caused by rheumatic fever) and glomerulonephritis are two unpleasant chronic diseases that come from untreated strep throat (Rheumatic Fever's incidence in untreated infection, in the US, is about 0.5-3.0 % in 6-20 year olds) Strep bacteria also can cause toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fascitis (flesh eating disease).

This bacterial throat infection should be treated, penicillin is the initial drug of choice.

Fortunately the incidence of RF is decreasing but does pop up in clusters when a particular bacterial subgroup come on the scene. It is also postulated that there may be a genetic predisposition to developing RF.

[JamesK840]

So being (very) sexually active does increase your chance for Strep, though mostly through kissing?

 

What's your opinion of tonsillectomy? (Smooth your panties out VA, I already did seek medical advice...) In my case my tonsils stayed almost obstructively large (though painless) even between strep infections, which I would guess made the follow-on infections easier to catch… so when every newfangled antibiotic and even a course of steroids didn't help at all I finally went along with my ENT/*SURGEON's* initial recommendation.

 

By the way, it didn't hurt much the first couple days after the surgery but got downright unpleasant the week after.

 

I can’t help but wonder if most of this could have been avoided by going into a clinic when my throat first started to hurt that first time, getting on the antibiotic before my tonsils grew 10X… instead of waiting for my HMO and an appointment with my ‘primary care physician’ at which point my tonsils all but touched at the back of my throat.

 

I know too many antibiotics out there is a large part of the problem, but maybe it’s a good idea for someone with repeated tonsillitis/Strep throat to have a prescription standing by?

[+ LIguy]

I had my tonsils removed when I was 6 after a series of throat infections.When I was 11 I had a strep throat infection which was followed by rhuematic fever which kept me hospitalized for 3 months.8 years ago I had to have my aortic heart valve replaced with a mechanical one.I hate it.It ticks like a loud winding alarm clock and is at times uncomfortable in my chest.There are days when I want to rip it out.But I guess it's better than the alternative.

[traveler1954]

Try to keep your tonsils; evolution placed them there for a reason.

If ALL measures fail and you obstruct the airway and have other serious problems, then you should consider surgery.

DP, NYC

[+ honcho]

>What the fuck does sexual encounters have to do with strep throat?

 

Trauma to the throat and back of the mouth making it more succeptible to bacterial infection?

 

I've had rheumatic fever (twice, at 6 and 18), and many (quickly treated) strep throats.

 

The incidence of strep throats went way down after I stopped making my own oboe reeds, and swallowing the shards of bamboo-like stuff, but that's anecdotal evidence.

[Guest]

>Rheumatic heart disease (caused by rheumatic fever)

>and glomerulonephritis are two unpleasant chronic diseases

>that come from untreated strep throat (Rheumatic Fever's

>incidence in untreated infection, in the US, is about 0.5-3.0

>% in 6-20 year olds) Strep bacteria also can cause toxic shock

>syndrome and necrotizing fascitis (flesh eating disease).

 

That is one of the most incredibly incorrect statements I've seen. As my reference http://www.orpha.net/data/patho/GB/uk-RF.pdf shows, the incidence of rheumatic fever in children and adolescents in the US is 0.23-1.88/100,000 (Table 2). That's per 100,000, not per 100. And this data actually dates to the article by Pope, RM in Bulletin of Rheumatic Disease,1989 "Rheumatic Fever in the 1980's," and most of the RF cases came from an epidemic in the Salt Lake City area in the late 80's. The incidence has actually dropped since then. In fact, the highest incidence of any group of humans in the world is in Northern Australian aboriginals, aged 5-14, where the incidence is 508/100,000 (Cohen & Pawderly: Infectious Diseases, 2nd Ed., 2004). Treatment of strep throat has no effect on the subsequent development of glomerulonehpritis. And although Group A Strep can cause toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis, these are not considered sequelae of "Strep throat."

Group A strep bacteria are everywhere, and, in fact, tens of millions of Americans carry them in their throats without having any symptoms. Some specialists have even argued that Streptococcal throat infections do not need any antiobiotic treatment at all.

[Guest]

>What's your opinion of tonsillectomy? (Smooth your panties

>out VA, I already did seek medical advice...) In my case my

>tonsils stayed almost obstructively large (though painless)

>even between strep infections, which I would guess made the

>follow-on infections easier to catch.

 

Tonsillectomy does not reduce the risk of contracting Strep, although it will, of course, eliminate the chance that the tonsils will swell up because Strep. Chronic obstruction is the main reason tonsils are removed these days, especially if they lead to obstructive sleep apnea or affect exercise tolerance.

[VaHawk]

I wasn't offering any kind of medical opinion, although the way my post was worded, I could see how that could be misinterpreted. I am glad though that my obfuscation allowed you to vent your spleen at the Hawk, as I believe in bringing joy to others!

 

I was merely trying to state that a tonsillectomy was the standard procedure when I was a child. Where did I advocate that procedure for anyone?

[Juan Vancouver]

Hey Vahawk!

Man, I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your posts sometimes. I grew up sorrounded by artists and "temperamental" people, and sometimes find canadians a bit too sane for my taste.

Even if sometimes I couldn't disagree more with you, to see your passionate display of emotions is certainly refreshing.

I hope that this new year will be fun and filled with lots of joy, passion and sharing for you!

 

A tight hug, man!

[VaHawk]

Thanks Juan. I really appreciate your kind comments, and most of all your sanity to realize that people can disagree without resorting to whatever. I TRULY wish you and yours the best of the coming year and all the years to come! The HUG was especially nice! :-)

[Flower]

Hey Doc, is there any downside to letting it take it's course without antibiotic intervention?

 

Does one build an immunity to the Strep A after a few bouts of it?

 

Do you agree with Traveler that Strep throat is caused by a bactertium, not a virus? If that is true, then wouldn't the antibiotic usually clear it up sooner regardless of when administered?

 

Can someone be a carrier of Strep A without being sick or showing symptoms? Carry it in excess of a year? Reason I ask is that both times I have gotten strep in the last 2 years it was after I was with one particular person--neither time did he appear sick or to have symptoms and thre was about a year between hook ups.

 

Thanks for the information.

[traveler1954]

Dead wrong. I quoted the incidence in untreated, infected individuals, not in the general population.

DP, NYC

[traveler1954]

Who said that strep throat can cause those diseases? That is nonsense. I meant that these bacteria are very invasive and should not be ignored. Have you ever seen strep cellulitis causing sepsis, that originated from an innocuous skin wound?

The next time YOU have strep throat, why don't you eliminate antibiotics?

The standard of care is to treat with antibiotics.

 

Of course strep all over the environment like most other similar pathogens.

DP, NYC

[Guest]

I'm sorry, but the same article I quoted above lists 20% of sore throats as being due to Strep. So your incidence figures are still off (unless you're claiming that less than one in 500 people gets a sore throat in any given year). Where do your figures come from (don't quote a pre-WWII textbook).

[Guest]

>Who said that strep throat can cause those diseases? That is

>nonsense. I meant that these bacteria are very invasive and

>should not be ignored.

We harbor many organisms in our skin, mouth, nose, colon, etc., which could each kill us in the appropriate setting. It would be nonsensical to try to eliminate them from our bodies. The original poster referred to Strep throat, which, although it may rarely lead to bad outcomes not related to invasive disease, does not lead to cellulitis/sepsis.

 

>Have you ever seen strep cellulitis

>causing sepsis, that originated from an innocuous skin wound?

 

Yes, and it wouldn't have been possible to predict/prevent such events, other than to avoid the wound (usually IV drug users).

 

>The next time YOU have strep throat, why don't you eliminate

>antibiotics?

 

I don't know when I have a strep throat because I don't check for strep when I have a sore throat. I just suck on zinc gluconate lozenges and take something for pain.

 

>The standard of care is to treat with antibiotics.

>

As I said, that is being actively debated due to recent changes in epidemiology.

 

>Of course strep all over the environment like most other

>similar pathogens.

 

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. Are you from Russia and just forgot to use the verb "to be"? If you're saying that Strep is all over the place (which it is), this seems to contradict your statement that it's essential to try to eliminate it whenever it's found in the throat.