Usually, having a sore throat is nothing to worry about - most are caused by cold or flu germs (viruses). In rare cases, however, it can signal something more serious… not to be alarming but one of the first symptoms of ebola virus is a sore throat!
Closer to everyday reality, strep bacteria, a common cause of sore throat (especially in children) can spread like wildfire through schools and daycare and if it gets into the bloodstream is pretty nasty indeed. Many other infections can also be preceded by a sore throat, so it’s never something to automatically take lightly.
So, how do you know the difference between a scratchy throat that will disappear on its own, and the start of a potentially serious infection?