Group A streptococcal infections are primarily spread by direct or intimate contact with carriers. The incubation period is short, usually 1-3 days, before the appearance of symptoms. It can be spread until the carrier has been treated for 24 hours. In most cases, the disease is diagnosed through the recognition of symptoms and a throat culture. Penicillin is the drug of choice.
Antibiotic therapy is aimed at eradicating streptococci from the respiratory tract.
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by Group A B-hemolytic streptococci. The disease is most commonly associated with a sore throat and is found in the mouth, nose, and throat of an infected person. Scarlet fever and streptococcal sore throat can occur in people of all ages, but it is most frequent among school-aged children. Scarlet fever usually results from direct contact with a person who has active streptococcal sore throat or through large respiratory droplets spread during coughing or sneezing. Scarlet fever is characterized by a sandpaper-like rash.