The most common cause (80%) is acute viral pharyngitis, a viral infection of the<unk> . Other causes include other bacterial infections (such as group A<unk> reptococcus or<unk> reptococcal pharyngitis), trauma, and tumors. Gastroesophageal (acid) reflux disease can cause<unk> omach acid to back up into the<unk>  and also cause the<unk>  to become<unk> . In children,<unk> reptococcal pharyngitis is the cause of 35–37% of<unk> s. The symptoms of a viral infection and a bacterial infection may be very similar. Some clinical guidelines suggest that the cause of a<unk>  is confirmed prior to prescribing antibiotic therapy and only recommend antibiotics for children who are at high risk of non-suppurative complications. A group A<unk> reptococcus infection can be diagnosed by<unk>  culture or a rapid test. In order to perform a<unk>  culture, a sample from the<unk>  (obtained by swabbing) is cultured (grown) on a blood agar plate to confirm the presence of group A<unk> reptococcus.<unk>  cultures are effective for people who have a low bacterial count (high sensitivity), however,<unk>  cultures usually take about 48 hours to obtain the results. Clinicians often also make treatment decisions based on the person's signs and symptoms alone. In the US, approximately 2/3rd of adults and half of children with<unk>  are diagnosed based on symptoms and do not have testing for the presence of GAS to confirm a bacterial infection. Rapid tests to detect GAS (bacteria) give a positive or negative result that is usually based on a colour change on a test<unk> rip that contains a<unk>  swab (sample). Test<unk> rips detect a cell wall carbohydrate that is specific to GAS by using an immunologic reaction. Rapid testing can be performed in the doctors office and usually takes 5–10 minutes for the test<unk> rip to indicate the result. Specificity for most rapid tests is approximately 95%, however sensitivity is about 85%. Although the use of rapid testing has been linked with an overall reduction in antibiotic prescriptions, further research is necessary to understand other outcomes such as safety, and when the person<unk> arts to feel better. Numerous clinical scoring systems (decision tools) have also been developed to support clinical decisions. Scoring systems that have been proposed include Centor's, McIsaac's, and the feverPAIN. A clinical scoring system is often used along with a rapid test. The scoring systems use observed signs and symptoms in order to determine the likelihood of a bacterial infection.
Sore throat
Nasal congestion
Cough
Headache
Neck spasm
Catarrh
Vomiting
Nausea