Differences Between Strep A & Strep B

Streptococcus is a bacterium. Streptococcus A is known as beta-hemolytic streptococcus group
A and is the most common type. Streptococcus B is known as strep group B.

Strep A

• Streptococcus A is causes strep throat. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, strep throat most often occurs in children aged five to fifteen years. Strep throat is also called streptococcal pharyngitis.

Treatment

• Treatment for Strep A is penicillin. The course of treatment lasts ten days. It is important to complete the treatment to prevent complications.

Considerations

• Group A strep can cause severe diseases. Some of them are cellulitis, scarlet fever, impetigo, toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease. These are severe conditions and require medical treatment.

Strep B

• Group B strep can cause infections in newborns, most commonly during the first week of life. A pregnant woman can pass the infection on to her newborn.

Considerations

• During the late part of pregnancy, women can be tested for strep B. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a woman who receives antibiotics for Strep B during labor has only a 1 in 4,000 chance of delivering a baby with Strep B.