Table of Contents
Profile of streptococci
Symptoms: Depending on the type of infection. This can affect all areas of the body, from tonsillitis and otitis media to cystitis to pneumonia and wound infection.
Treatment: Streptococci can be combated very well with antibiotics. Depending on the type of infection, sometimes lighter, sometimes stronger antibiotics have to be prescribed.
Prevention: Streptococci are everywhere. So you can’t protect yourself 100%. Regular hand washing and the treatment of certain surfaces (such as the toilet seat or the kitchenette) with disinfectant offer a certain level of security.
We don’t want to hide behind the mountain: streptococci are among the most widespread bacteria of all. Banishing them from our lives is impossible. You can find them on the computer keyboard as well as on the display of the smartphone. You feel just as comfortable on the kitchen counter as on the clean toilet seat. They even sit on our skin and in our intestines. The only way to get rid of them is to wash them regularly and thoroughly. In reality, however, it is not quite as dramatic as it reads now. Because our body is generally very good at keeping the small pathogens in check. But before we get to the dangers posed by streptococcigo out, take a closer look, let’s take a look at their positive properties.
Streptococci: know your enemy
Bacteria of the genus Streptococcus are diverse. There are over 20 different types. Some of them cause infections, others are quite useful. The species Streptococcus thermophilus makes an important contribution to the production of yoghurt, quark or other milk-based foods. Other streptococci sit in our mouths and help us break down food. Some species also have no effect on us at all and live peacefully on our skin. Different types of streptococci are found in the mouth and throat, in the intestines and in the vagina. They are all relatively harmless and our bodies suffer no harm from their presence. On the contrary. The gut would probably lose some of its decomposing abilities if it were not inhabited by streptococci.
Die Bad Guys
As we all know, there are also a number of dangerous streptococci. The streptococci of our intestines are very healthy for this part of the body, but they have no place outside of it. So the same bacteria that help our gut digest food can cause tonsillitis in the throat. Or a middle ear infection in the ears. It gets really bad when certain streptococci get into the airways. The so-called pneumococci can cause severe pneumonia and claim millions of lives worldwide every year.
Since streptococci are almost everywhere around us, they are among the main pathogens in infectious diseases. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the blister on your foot or the surgical scar, whether something is healing poorly or not at all, streptococci are most likely involved. Streptococci are also dangerous in the blood. There they can trigger sepsis, which is difficult to release from the body. Streptococci are particularly feared in connection with scarlet fever. This childhood disease, which occurs primarily between the ages of four and seven, extends down the throat and causes fever, chills, and the characteristic flaking of the skin. Important: scarlet fever is the symptom of infection with streptococci, not the pathogen!
Don’t make it worse than it is
This all sounds bad and of course some infections can take dramatic forms. Nevertheless, no more attention should be paid to the spherical bacteria than is necessary. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t worry about rummaging through the next garbage can or horse apple. It is only intended to express that a healthy human body can almost always cope with the small pathogens. It becomes dangerous if your immune system is weakened (e.g. during pregnancy or after an operation). Bacteria like to use this gap in the immune system to trigger diseases. Particular care should be taken with newborns and small children. Since the immune system is not yet as developed as in adults, regular hand washing should be a top priority. Some pediatric care, such as vaccinations, is also helpful. The same applies to older people. The body’s defense mechanisms are usually weakened and therefore susceptible to infections.How good is your immune system? Do our test.
Medical care for streptococci
The advantage with all the unpleasant causes of streptococcal infections is that the bacteria are very well researched and easy to treat. Streptococci are divided into three types by medicine, α-, β- and γ-hemolytic streptococci. This subdivision says something about the ability of bacteria to dissolve red blood cells. Streptococci with α-hemolysis only partially break down the blood cells, β-hemolysis means the blood cells are completely broken down and γ-hemolytic streptococci do not hemolyze at all.
Due to the good knowledge of research on streptococci, antibiotics can be administered in a targeted manner in the event of an infection, which always work successfully. Treatment with penicillin is often enough to stop the small pathogens. In the field of streptococci research, medicine has even progressed so far that there is a vaccine for pneumococci, for example. Incidentally, this is recommended for everyone over the age of 60, as they are particularly weak after operations and are therefore susceptible to pneumonia. Our detailed article tells you how far research has come in the fight against bacteria and viruses.
