Retropharyngeal abscess

The goals of therapy for streptococcal pharyngitis are to eradicate infection in order to prevent complications, shorten the disease course, and reduce infectivity and spread to close contacts. Sequelae that can be prevented by antibiotic use are peritonsillar or retropharyngeal abscess, cervical lymphadenitis, and rheumatic fever. There is no evidence that antibiotic use has an impact on the incidence of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. 

Nonsuppurative comphcations such as acute rheumatic fever, acute glomerulonephritis, and reactive arthritis may occur, as well as suppurative complications, such as peritonsillar abcess, retropharyngeal abscess, cervical lymphadenitis, mastoiditis, otitis media, sinusitis, and necrotizing fascutis. 

Pharyngitis may occur in up to 25% of patients with tularemia.13 22 47 48 The posterior pharynx may not be inflamed however, there may be erythema, exudate, petechiae, hemorrhage, or ulcers. On occasion, patients with pharyngitis may also develop a retropharyngeal abscess or suppuration of regional lymph nodes.47 49-51 Pneumonia commonly accompanies pharyngitis, perhaps reflecting acquisition of the disease by the aerosol route. 

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