Sore throat cough no fever
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Sore Throat and Cough Without Fever: Clinical Insights
Common Cold and Viral Infections
Sore throat and cough are frequently associated with viral infections, such as the common cold. These symptoms often present without fever, distinguishing them from more severe infections. The common cold, caused by various viruses including rhinoviruses, typically manifests with a sore throat, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and a nonproductive cough10. These symptoms are usually mild and self-limiting, resolving without the need for medical intervention8.
COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Infections
In the context of COVID-19, sore throat and cough are also reported, though fever is a more common symptom. Studies have shown that while cough is prevalent in COVID-19 patients, sore throat occurs less frequently2 4. A systematic review comparing COVID-19 with other respiratory infections like SARS, influenza, and the common cold found that sore throat and rhinorrhea are less common in COVID-19, whereas cough and fever are more prominent7. This suggests that the absence of fever in a patient with sore throat and cough might indicate a less severe viral infection, such as the common cold, rather than COVID-19.
Pharyngitis and Strep Throat
Pharyngitis, or sore throat, can be caused by both viral and bacterial infections. In cases of bacterial pharyngitis, such as strep throat, fever is a common symptom along with sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and tonsillar exudates5. The absence of fever in a patient with sore throat and cough reduces the likelihood of strep throat, making viral pharyngitis a more probable diagnosis8.
Clinical Management and Diagnosis
For patients presenting with sore throat and cough but no fever, clinical management typically involves symptomatic treatment. Over-the-counter medications can alleviate symptoms, and adequate hydration and rest are recommended10. Throat swabs and cultures are generally reserved for cases with additional symptoms like high fever or swollen lymph nodes to rule out bacterial infections8.
Conclusion
Sore throat and cough without fever are most commonly associated with viral infections such as the common cold. While these symptoms can also occur in COVID-19, the absence of fever makes it less likely. Clinical management focuses on symptomatic relief, and further diagnostic tests are usually unnecessary unless more severe symptoms develop. Understanding these distinctions helps in the effective management and treatment of patients presenting with these symptoms.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
A 35-year-old man with persistent cough, fever, and sore throat.
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Case ReportSore throat in COVID‐19: Comment on “Clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: A single arm meta‐analysis”
COVID-19 patients often experience fever, cough, muscle soreness, and fatigue, but rarely experience diarrhea, hemoptysis, headache, sore throat, shock, and other rare symptoms.
Meta-AnalysisA Case of Sore Throat and Fever
A previously healthy 41-year-old man developed a sore throat, headache, fever, and fatigue, but was initially diagnosed with pharyngitis, then consulted for internal medicine after his symptoms worsened.
Case ReportClinical characteristics of 50466 hospitalized patients with 2019-nCoV infection.
Fever, cough, and muscle soreness are common symptoms in patients with 2019-nCoV infection, with abnormal chest CT examinations and a lower case fatality rate than SARS and MERS.
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Highly CitedThe Diagnosis of Strep Throat in Adults in the Emergency Room
A positive culture for Group A beta streptococcus in adults can be predicted by four factors, highlighting the importance of combining physical exam and history in determining a diagnosis.
Observational StudyHighly CitedNothing to cough at
A 73-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 4-day history of nonproductive cough that worsened at night. He did not have fever, chills, headache, myalgia, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sore throat, hemoptysis, chest pain, or dyspnea.
Case ReportComparison of the clinical differences between COVID-19, SARS, influenza, and the common cold: A systematic literature review.
A greater number of general symptoms should lead to a diagnosis of influenza or common cold rather than COVID-19.
Systematic Review[Update on current care guidelines: sore throat].
Pharyngitis is typically a viral infection, and patients should be informed that it is often mild and self-healing, with a throat swab recommended for adults with certain symptoms.
A 44-Year-Old Man With Sore Throat and Fatigue After Using an Old Camper Van.
Rodent droppings in an old camper van may cause sore throat, fatigue, and other symptoms in a 44-year-old man after using it on camping trips in Vermont.
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