Can you Get Strep without Tonsils?

When it comes to health, there are a lot of things that we must all know in order to keep it in good condition. Our health is considered to be our greatest wealth. Without it, our lives can definitely end sooner than we can expect. Being healthy means living a fit lifestyle. In addition to these, becoming aware of the different things or facts about various illnesses, diseases and infections can be very handy in keeping out health in tip top shape. One of the most common problems that we usually encounter is the different bacterial infections. Becoming infected with bacteria can be a very difficult health problem to solve. As we all know, once bacteria infects our system, it can create different reactions and symptoms that make life miserable. The streptococcus bacteria are considered to be one of the most common bacteria that can attack the body. However, there are still many things that we don’t know about the strep specie. Can we get strep without tonsils?

Before answering the question, let us try to define first what strep bacteria are. Strep or streptococcus is a type of bacterium that can attack our system and can affect different parts of the body. One of the most common targets of strep is our throats, which is why it can cause a common condition known as strep throat. This type of disease usually affects the tonsils. In fact, our tonsils can swell and become inflamed once strep bacteria attack our system. Other reactions in our tonsils also include the production of whitish streaks or pus, which makes it hard for us to swallow. This inflammation of the tonsils is otherwise known as tonsillitis. Because of this great discomfort, which can also lead to high grade fever, many of us would resort to having our tonsils removed. This particular operation is known as tonsillectomy. However, many are still wondering whether it is still possible to catch strep even after the removal of the tonsils. The answer to this confusion or uncertainty is YES.

Just like what we have mentioned earlier, strep is a bacterium and is not a type of condition. Although it can exhibit more symptoms when it invades our throats, strep bacteria can also affect other parts or organs in the body. In fact, untreated or neglected strep throat can lead to a complication called rheumatic fever, which affects the heart and can lead to endocarditis. Aside from this, strep can also affect our kidneys, which can also cause further complications in the body. Basing on these facts, we can tell that catching strep even without our tonsils is still very possible. However, some experts have said that the chances of having strep are significantly lower compared to having it with the presence of our tonsils.

However, if we were to ask the question; is it possible to catch tonsillitis without tonsils, then the answer is a definite NO. Tonsillitis is a medical term given to describe the inflammation of the tonsils. So it is very absurd to have tonsillitis after tonsillectomy; when in fact, there are already no tonsils to become inflamed.

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