What’s Going Around: Strep, adenovirus, roseola

WellSpan Community Pediatrics is seeing insect bites, seasonal allergies, stomach bugs and colds this week.

UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics in York and Spring Grove say they are seeing viral syndrome this week, which has symptoms including cough, congestion, fatigue, red eyes and fever.

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Roseville Pediatrics reports that strep throat made a big rebound this week. They also saw an increase in adenovirus.

They continue to see tick bites, various forms of sunburn and related skin irritation and swimmer’s ear. They have also continued to see cases of roseola, which is a virus that causes high fever and then a rash. High fevers this week were also connected with strep, adenovirus and ear infections.

Dr. Joan Thode offered the following advice about strep throat:

“Strep and adenovirus are going around and both cause sore throats and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Strep, enterovirus, and adenovirus can cause sore throat that may have white spots on the tonsils, as well as fever and belly pain. Adenovirus can also have a component of viral pink eye where the eyes appear red and tearing, whereas strep does not typically affect the eyes. We have seen this virus recently cause multiple days of high fevers. As its name suggests, adenovirus is a virus and therefore has no treatment. It typically resolves in five to seven days.

As with all viruses, treatment for adenovirus includes methods to support the patient through the illness, as antibiotics do not work against viruses. The course of most acute viruses can last from four to seven days, sometimes with a gradual recovery. The main treatments are pain relief and hydration. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the mainstays of comfort treatment, and hydration is the primary goal. Chilling water and providing low-acidity cold or frozen treats like slushies can help prevent dehydration from a sore throat.

Strep throat, on the other hand, is caused by a bacteria and needs to be treated with an antibiotic. A throat culture and in-person exam helps differentiate the causes of sore throats, therefore sore throats should be evaluated by a physician’s office. While strep infections do not cause nasal congestion, runny nose, or cough, you can have strep occur alongside a virus causing these symptoms, so when in doubt, an evaluation and possibly a test for strep is best to diagnose the issue.”

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