One of the commonest causes of illness, a sore throat often clears up on its own, but knowing what's causing it is important to treat it properly. Viral, bacterial, or caused by allergic elements - these kinds of sore throats have different characteristics that need different responses.

Sore throats have several origins, including infection and environmental factors. Some common causes include:

Viral infections: Viruses cause 90% of sore throat cases. Sore throats may result due to flu or common cold as well as those from chickenpox and measles that can all cause irritation.

Bacterial Infections: Streptococcus bacteria, the most common cause of strep throat, is the most common bacterial source. Strep throat is contagious and can lead to complications if untreated.

Allergies: Pollen, pet dander, and mold can trigger throat irritation, often accompanied by postnasal drip, sneezing, and watery eyes.

Environmental Factors: Dry air, pollution, and smoke can dry out or irritate the throat, creating a scratchy sensation.

Other Causes: GERD, vocal strain, even tumors may be responsible for chronic sore throats.

How to Distinguish Between Viral, Bacterial, and Allergic Sore Throats

Determining your cause of sore throat requires analysis of symptoms that accompany it, how long the sore throat lasts, and how bad the sore throat is.

Viral Sore Throats

The viruses that cause a sore throat are usually similar to a cold in their symptoms and tend to be milder than bacterial infections.

Symptoms of Viral Sore Throat

- Red, swollen throat without white patches

- Persistent cough

- Runny nose and nasal congestion

- Fever, usually mild

Duration: Viral infections last for 7–10 days without antibiotics.

Treatment: Home remedies, such as warm fluids, saltwater gargling, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help alleviate it.

Also Read: Flu Season Grips 40 States In US, CDC Reports Alarming Numbers

Bacterial Sore Throats

Bacterial sore throats, mainly strep throat, are more severe and require prompt medical attention to prevent complications.

Symptoms of Bacterial Sore Throat

- Red and swollen tonsils with white patches or streaks of pus

- High fever

- Absence of a cough

- Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain (especially in children)

- Small red spots on the roof of the mouth

Diagnosis: Rapid strep tests or throat cultures confirm the presence of bacteria.

Treatment: Antibiotics are necessary to eliminate the infection. Without treatment, complications like rheumatic fever or abscesses can develop.

Sore Throats Caused by Allergies

Throat irritation is caused by postnasal drip. Allergies create a buildup and drip of mucus down the back of the throat.

Allergic Sore Throat Symptoms

- Irritation of the throat and ears

- Runny eyes, sneezing, and nasal congestion

- These symptoms are usually relieved by antihistamines or removal from the source of the allergen

Duration: Allergic sore throats are sustained for as long as the allergens are exposed.

When to Seek Medical Care?

A sore throat should be taken to a doctor if:

- The condition lasts more than a week.

- There is shortness of breath or swallowing becomes painful.

- Swelling is too pronounced or the pain in the throat is extreme.

- High fever, rash, or joint pain occur along with the sore throat.

- A child shows signs of dehydration or refuses fluids due to throat pain.

Early diagnosis can prevent complications and speed recovery.

Effective Treatment for Sore Throats

Home Remedies for Viral and Allergy-Related Sore Throats

Viral infections and allergies often respond well to non-invasive treatments:

• Drink warm teas, broths, or water to soothe the throat.
• Gargling with warm, salty water can reduce inflammation.
• These help soothe an irritated throat and can alleviate coughing.

Let your body rest sufficiently. Humidifying dry air will help keep the throat moist, especially when winter is on its way.

Why Not All Sore Throats Require Antibiotics?

Bacterial infections require antibiotics such as penicillin or amoxicillin. Finish the treatment completely to avoid reoccurrence or resistance.

How to Keep Sore Throats at Bay When Winter Is Near

Prevention is better than cure, and simple lifestyle changes can reduce your risk:

• Wash your hands frequently to avoid infections.
• Avoid close contact with sick individuals.
• Use air purifiers to minimize exposure to irritants.
• Stay hydrated and maintain a balanced diet to boost immunity.

Understanding the cause of your sore throat—whether viral, bacterial, or allergic—is key to effective treatment and recovery. While many sore throats resolve on their own, seeking timely medical advice for persistent or severe symptoms can prevent complications. Prioritize self-care, and don’t hesitate to consult a doctor when needed. Remember, your throat’s health is a vital part of your overall well-being.

Every year, March 24 is observed as World Tuberculosis Day to spread awareness about the infectious disease. In India, it remains one of the most pressing infectious diseases. Dr Arup Halder, Consultant Pomologist at CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI says that India still accounts for roughly a quarter to over a quarter of world's tuberculosis or TB cases. "In 2023–2024, India reported around 25–26 lakh TB patients out of an estimated 27 lakh cases, reflecting improved detection but also highlighting a persistently high burden," he points out.

While TB incidence has fallen by about 20 per cent since 2015 and mortality has also declined to roughly 21 deaths per lakh population, it still remains well above national elimination targets for 2025.

TB Could Happen Even Without A Persistent Cough

What makes TB so difficult to eliminate? While many associate TB with persistent coughing, studies show that 80 per cent of patients do not show the symptoms of cough that is "presumed" to be a common symptom. This is why, TB could go ignored until it is too late.

A research led by Amsterdam UMC and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development analyzed data on more than 600,000 individuals in Africa and Asia and found that around 82.8 per cent of those with TB had no persistent cough. The study also found that 62.5 per cent had no cough at all. The findings were published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The study in fact noted that this could be the "probable reason why, despite huge efforts to diagnose and treat the disease, the tb burden across Africa and Asia is hardly declining". Frank Cobelens, Professor of Global Health at Amsterdam UMC and Senior Fellow at the AIGHD says, "A persistent cough is often the entry point for a diagnosis, but if 80 per cent of those with TB do not have one, then it means that a diagnosis will happen later, possibly after the infection has already been transmitted to many others, or not at all."

Another 2019 study published in Elsevier notes: "Coughing does not appear to be a necessary prerequisite for TB transmission." The study further mentions, "Frequency of cough is associated with infectivity but this does not imply mechanistic causality for TB transmission."

Does It Mean Coughing Is Harmless?

The simple answer to this is: No. Coughing does not mean harmless, especially when it is a persistent one. The study only shows that TB does not always mean persistent coughing, however, if one experiences this symptom, they should always get a test done and should not ignore the symptoms.

Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas' Center for Advanced Pain Studies working with colleagues from UT Southwestern Medical Center note that TB coughing could cause pain. This is one of the way one can distinguish the symptoms. The findings published in journal Cell notes that before this study, "no one had even shown that TB produces an irritant that acts directly on the sensory innervation of the lungs".

Corresponding author Dr Michael Shiloh, associate professor of internal medicine and microbiology at UT Southwestern said, "People with active tuberculosis can cough for months and spread disease even when they are receiving appropriate treatment."

Read: World Tuberculosis Day 2026: Theme, Origin, And Significance

What Is India Doing To Control TB Cases?

On World TB Day, President Droupadi Murmu stressed that TB continues to pose a significant public health challenge and has affected millions of lives across the world. She urged all stakeholders to work together with collective resolve to end TB once for all.

To act on it, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will launch a series of initiatives, including 'TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan - 100 Days Campaign', the TB Mukt Bharat App, and the TB Mukt Urban Ward Initiative. These measures are designed to strengthen the case detection, improve treatment adherence, and enhance last-mile delivery of TB services, especially in high-burden areas. The initiatives have also been aligned with the objectives of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.

From physical problems like fatigue and vision problems, people who survive the deadly bacterial meningitis are likely to live with long-term fatigue and vision problems, as well as be at high risk of suicide, according to a new study.

The study comes as the UK is experiencing an outbreak of meningitis in Kent, that began among students who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between March 5 and 7.

Although bacterial meningitis is treatable, it requires prompt, often immediate treatment for better recovery. Yet patients are likely to face the risk of fatal or long-term complications -- from physical, psychological, and social impacts, said researchers from the University of Otago, The Conversation reported.

The new findings, based on 16 cases from New Zealand, who reportedly suffered the fatal disease, showed that multiple chronic after-effects is permanent in some, while in others, it dragged on for years. The effects include:

• fatigue,
• difficulties with concentration,
• memory and emotional regulation,
• persistent headaches,
• issues with mobility, vision, and hearing.

• anxiety,
• depression
• suicidality.

"Our findings demonstrate that bacterial meningitis is much more than a life-threatening infection. It is an acute disease with serious, chronic after-effects which are poorly understood and often go unrecognised," the researchers said.

Kent Meningitis Outbreak

The bug that causes the infection has been identified as the known strain of meningitis B, and MenB vaccines will be offered to 5,000 students living in the University of Kent halls of residence in Canterbury.

Meanwhile, the UKHSA chief executive, Susan Hopkins, said the outbreak "looks like a super-spreader" event with "ongoing spread" through universities' halls of residence.

"There will have been some parties, particularly around this, so there will have been lots of social mixing. I can't yet say where the initial infection came from, how it's got into this cohort, and why it's created such an explosive amount of infections," she added.

As per Trish Mannes, UKHSA Regional Deputy Director for the South East, even after two doses, the MenB vaccine “does not protect against all strains of meningococcal disease, nor against all infections that can cause meningitis. It also does not prevent the bacteria from being carried and spread in the community”.

The UKHSA thus warned people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease, and to seek immediate medical attention if they or anyone they know develops these signs and symptoms.

Common symptoms include:

• rash
• sudden onset of high fever
• severe and worsening headache
• vomiting and diarrhea
• joint and muscle pain
• seizures.

Being tall can have its advantages, but a new genetic study linked height with significant health problems, such as a higher risk of developing heart disease and endometriosis throughout one's lifetime.

While genetics and environmental factors together influence a person’s height, the stature can also prove to be a risk factor for determining the risk of atrial fibrillation, which occurs when the heart quivers rapidly and erratically instead of beating regularly, said the researchers from the China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan.

“By integrating genetic data across multiple East Asian biobanks, we show that the genetics of stature is linked not only to growth-related traits but also to clinically relevant outcomes—most notably atrial fibrillation and endometriosis," said the team in the paper.

"These results suggest that stature-related polygenic scores could help improve early risk stratification in East Asian populations,” they added.

Also read: Woman Left Medically Infertile After Seven Surgeries For Endometriosis That She Did Not Have

Key Findings

The team led by Fuu-Jen Tsai conducted a large-scale genetic analysis on people of East Asian origin. They analyzed 120,000 Han Taiwanese individuals and compared them with 27,966 controls with familial short stature (FSS) -- a harmless condition where people are short due to inherited genetics -- to find genetic factors.

The study also linked a person’s height to overall body size and lung function, as well as cardiovascular traits and reproductive traits, including the age when menstruation starts.

Their findings, published in the journal PLOS Genetics, identified 293 genetic variants linked to height and five linked to familial short stature.

The genetic variants responsible for tall stature increased the risks of both atrial fibrillation and endometriosis. In comparison, the genetic factors for short statures offered a slight protection against endometriosis.

The results proved that taller stature increased the risk of atrial fibrillation independently. But the risk of endometriosis was determined through menarche/weight in taller people.

The Role Of Estrogen

A 2020 study from Denmark shares a possible explanation for the link between height and increased risk of atrial fibrillation: the rising estrogen levels.

Estrogen is a hormone known to promote the growth of the lining of the womb and is also believed to play a role in growth spurts during puberty.

The study, published in the Annals of Human Biology, showed that taller and slim girls in childhood had a high risk of developing endometriosis. The study also marked a lower body mass index as an increased risk of endometriosis.

However, further research is needed to validate these associations and inform clinical applications.