Summary of common signs and symptoms of viral, bacterial, and fungal pharyngitis: Signs and symptoms of bacterial pharyngitis can overlap with those of streptococcal pharyngitis.
| PATHOGEN | SIGN OR SYMPTOM | POSITIVE LR (95% CI) | SPECIFICITY (95% CI) | SENSITIVITY (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viral | Cough3,9,10 | NA | NA | NA |
| Rhinorrhea3,9,10 | ||||
| Diarrhea3,9,10 | ||||
| Fatigue3,9,10 | ||||
| Conjunctivitis3,9,10 | ||||
| Tonsillar hypertrophy2 | ||||
| Oropharyngeal erythema or edema2 | ||||
| Pharyngeal “cobblestoning”2 | ||||
| Bacterial | Nausea and vomiting3,10,11 | NA | NA | NA |
| Headache3,10,11 | ||||
| Abdominal pain3,10,11 | ||||
| Group A streptococcus | Scarlatiniform rash3,10–12 | 3.91 (2.00–7.62) | 0.98 (0.95–0.99) | 0.08 (0.05–0.14) |
| Palatal petechiae11–13 | 2.69 (1.92–3.77) | 0.95 (0.91–0.97) | 0.15 (0.10–0.21) | |
| Tonsillar exudate11–13 | 1.53 (1.00–2.24) | 0.74 (0.64–0.83) | 0.38 (0.27–0.51) | |
| Arthralgia or myalgia11–13 | 1.42 (1.00–1.91) | 0.87 (0.70–0.95) | 0.18 (0.06–0.44) | |
| Cervical adenopathy11–13 | 1.40 (1.12–1.89) | 0.40 (0.23–0.61) | 0.82 (0.71–0.89) | |
| Fungal | Loss of taste14 | NA | NA | NA |
| Mouth numbness14 | ||||
| Oropharyngeal white curdlike plaques14 | ||||
| Oropharyngeal smooth red patches14 | ||||
| Angular cheilitis14 |
LR—likelihood ratio, NA—not available.