1. Streptococcus (strep throat)
By Rebecca Walsh

2. What is it?
Strep Throat is an infection of the oral pharynx and tonsils.
Strep Throat is very common among kids and teens. It usually requires treatment with antibiotics, but improves in a few days.

3. History
Anton Van Leewenhoek, a scientist and microbiological from Holland, discovered strep throat.
He was born on October 24th He didn’t have any scientific education or background and started his career in a basket shop.
In his work, microscopic glasses were used to count the threads of a basket and his was how he developed an interest on microscopes.

4. Symptoms Of Strep Throat
Red and White patches in the throat, especially on the surface of the tonsils.
Difficulty of swallowing.
Red and enlarged tonsils.
Lower stomach pain.
Fever.
General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling
Loss of appetite and nausea.
Rash.

6. How is it diagnosed
Rapid Antigen Test: A doctor will likely perform a rapid antigen test on a swab sample from your throat. This test can detect strep bacteria in minutes by looking for substances (antigens) in the throat. If the test negative but your doctor still suspects strep, he or she might do a throat culture.
Throat Culture: A sterile swab is rubbed over the back of the throat and tonsils to get a sample of the secretions. Its not painful, but it may cause gagging. The sample is then cultured in a labatory for the presence of bacteria, but results can take as long as two days.

7. How Can Someone Contract This Disease…
Streptococcal bacteria are highly contagious. They can spread through airborne droplets when someone with the infection coughs or sneezes, or through shared food or drinks. You can also pick up the bacteria from a doorknob or other surfaces and transfer them to your nose, mouth and eyes.

8. What Is The Prognosis For This Patient.
The symptoms to strep throat usually improve within three to five days, irrespective of treatment. Treatment of antibiotics reduces the risk of complications and transmission; children may return to school 24 hours after antibiotics are administered.
Depending on the bacteria it is, what other resistance, it can cause serious infection that can lead to rheumatic or scarlet fever, staph, skin and soft tissue infection. If it enters the bloodstream, it can kill you.

9. Treatment
Treatment
If a person gets strep throat, a doctor will likely prescribe an oral antibiotic. If taken within 48 hours of the onset of the illness, antibiotics reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, as well as the risk of complications and the likelihood that the infection will spread to to others.
Strep throat usually goes away in 3 to 7 days with or without antibiotic treatment. If strep throat isn’t treated with antibiotics you will continue to be contagious for 2 to 3 weeks even if your symptoms go away.

10. How can you prevent strep throat?
Strep throat is hard to avoid, however, there are ways you can help prevent it
One way you can prevent it is to wash your hands a lot.
A second way is to eat healthy.

11. Is There A Strep Throat Vaccine?
A new study clarifies how group a streptococcus (strep) bacteria resist the human immune system. The research could eventually lead to the development of a safe vaccine against strep throat, necrotising fasciitis (flesh eating disease) and rheumatic heart disease.

12.      Anton Van Leewenhoek. Who discovered strep throat?
Answers:
Questions:
Anton Van Leewenhoek.
Red and white patches, swollen tonsils, rash, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing
2 to 3 weeks!
Who discovered strep throat?
What are the symptoms?
How long can you be contagious for if untreated?