Also called: Strep
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Streptococcal Infections
Strep is short for Streptococcus, a type of bacteria. There are several types. Two of them cause most of the strep infections in people: group A and group B.
Group A strep causes:
- Strep throat - a sore, red throat. Your tonsils may be swollen and have white spots on them.
- Scarlet fever - an illness that follows strep throat. It causes a red rash on the body.
- Impetigo - a skin infection
- Toxic shock syndrome
- Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease)
Group B strep can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. A screening test during pregnancy can tell if you have it. If you do, intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor can save your baby's life. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially if they are 65 or older or already have health problems. Strep B can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections and pneumonia in adults.
Antibiotics are used to treat strep infections.
It sits within Infections and Ear, Nose and Throat.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Streptococcal Infections
677 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Impact of HIV-1 and Aging on Mucosal Vaccine ResponsesVA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- Accelerated Treatment of EndocarditisRigshospitalet, Denmark
- Comparative Study of Adherence to Antibiotic Therapy Among Pediatric Patients: Hospital Emergency Department vs. Primary Care CenterUniversity Hospital, Montpellier
- Testing a Registry-Based Strategy (ACT+) to Reduce Loss to Follow-Up in Rheumatic Heart Disease Screening in UgandaChildren's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
- A Study to Learn About How a New Pneumococcal Vaccine Works in InfantsPfizer
- A Study to Learn About the Safety of an Expanded Pneumococcal Vaccine in Healthy InfantsPfizer
Research already completed
- PCV24 Clinical Trial in Infants and Young Children Aged 2 Months (Minimum 6 Weeks) to 71 MonthsReinovax Biologics Co., LTD
- Study of a Group B Streptococcus Vaccine in Pregnant Women Living With HIV and in Pregnant Women Who do Not Have HIVMinervax ApS
- Revaccination With PPS23 Boosted or Not by PCV13 in Splenectomised Patients.Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
- Surveillance of Invasive Pneumococcal Infections in Adults (Excluding Meningitis)University Hospital, Limoges
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- About Group A Strep InfectionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- About Group B Strep DiseaseCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Strep Throat in Kids and Teens (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
- Streptococcal InfectionsMerck & Co., Inc.
Diagnosis and Tests
- Strep A TestNational Library of Medicine
- Strep B TestNational Library of Medicine
- Strep Test: Rapid (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
- Strep Test: Throat Culture (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Preventing Group A Strep InfectionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Preventing Group B Strep Disease in NewbornsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- GlomerulonephritisMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Glomerulonephritis (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
- Sydenham ChoreaNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Statistics and Research
- Group A Streptococcal InfectionsNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- Group B Strep Surveillance and TrendsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Rheumatic FeverNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Streptococcal InfectionsNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Streptococcal Infections. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Streptococcal Infections, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.