What Is Tonsilitis?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
3. Causes
As mentioned, tonsillitis is usually caused by an infection of sorts. The most common bacterial culprit is the group A streptococcus bacterium, which causes strep throat. Strep throat in itself is not necessarily dangerous, but it can develop into scarlet fever and/or rheumatic fever so it should be treated accordingly.
The tonsils are particularly prone to infection because they are at the front line of defense, dealing with threats that come into the mouth. As we get older, however, the tonsils are given less responsibility in terms of fighting off disease. This would explain why tonsillitis tends not to occur in adults.
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