if i had surgery to remove tonsils why would i still get strep throat?

Question

surgery was in may last year. i also had it for the sinuses too.

Answer 1

Strep throat is caused by the streptococcus bacteria, which infect the mucous membranes which line the entire throat- not just the tonsils. In cases where there is reoccuring strep throat, removing the tonsils lessens the chances of it happening but they can't eliminate it altogether. If the tonsils are not functioning correctly, they become homes to the bacteria and sources of reinfection themselves. So removing them cuts out one source of the infection, but not all of them. Strep throat can occur year round, but is more prevalent in fall and winter. It's spread by droplets, and you pick up the bacteria on your hands usually from doors and such. That's why it's so important to wash your hands frequently and keep them away from your face and mouth unless they have just been washed. Removing your tonsils removed a source of bacteria living inside your body, but it didn't remove the bacteria from the rest of the world. If you come in contact with it, you can still get strep throat.

Answer 2

You can get strep throat regardless of whether or not you have your tonsils. Removing your tonsils helps more with allergic type/sinus conditions, as they can become imflamed which can cause discomfort, pain, or difficulty breathing (especially at night, causing snoring or sometimes sleep apnea). Strep is a bacteria that can colonize pretty much anywhere in or on your body, so it can still colonize in the throat even without tonsils there.

Answer 3

Strep throat is a Streptococcus Bacterial Infection..
This bacteria lives just fine on throat tissue..
It is not limited to the tonsils / sinuses...