What Happens If Strep Throat Is Untreated?
Strep throat usually isn't serious, but if left untreated, it can cause complications such as rheumatic fever (a disease that can damage the joint and heart) or even kidney problems.
The body's immune system will attack healthy tissues in response to a strep infection, causing complications such as inflammation of the kidneys, rheumatic fever, or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections.
In more serious cases, untreated strep throat may lead to rheumatic fever. If antibiotics are introduced as soon as 9 days after the start of a strep infection, this will prevent rheumatic fever.
Kidney disease may occur after being infected with certain strains of strep bacteria. These infections may include a strep infection of the skin or the throat. This condition is rare and goes away without a need for treatment. Treatment of strep infection will not necessarily prevent inflammation of the kidneys.
PANDAS is a term used to describe what happens when a strep throat or scarlet fever infection worsens symptoms of certain disorders in children. The disorders that often worsen from these conditions are tic disorders such as Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
