Tonsillitis is a throat infection caused by a virus or bacteria. This infection is also contagious; you can spread it to others by coughing or sneezing.
Symptoms of tonsillitis . This infection most often affects children and adolescents. Some of the most common symptoms include:
Fever. Sore throat. Red, swollen tonsils. Difficulty swallowing or pain. White or yellow patches or coatings on the tonsils. Bad breath. Headache. Stiff neck. Raspy, muffled, or hoarse voice.
Tender, enlarged glands in the neck. Stomach pain (this symptom is more common in children). In young children who are unable to describe how they feel, some of the symptoms you may notice include: Unusual agitation. Lack of appetite. Drooling due to difficulty or pain when swallowing.
Risk factors . These are some of the risk factors for tonsillitis:
Early age : Tonsillitis most often occurs in children. However, it rarely occurs in children under 2 years old. Bacterial tonsillitis is more common in children between 5 and 15 years old, while viral tonsillitis is more common in children under 5.
Frequent exposure to germs : School-aged children are in close contact with their peers, so they are exposed to viruses and bacteria that can cause tonsillitis.
Below is a video of a doctor using a swab to remove a sample from the tonsils.
