Features suggesting an infective cause for a sore throat

Features suggesting an infective cause for a sore throat include:

• fever - makes infection the likely cause, although lack of fever does not exclude infection
• pathology of the oropharynx:
  • quinsy is a bacterial complication
  • peritonsillar cellulitis particularly unilateral may have a bacterial aetiology - research evidence would be valuable
  • palatal petechae occur in glandular fever
  • Koplik's spots of measles
  • blisters of herpes simplex, foot and mouth
• cervical glands:
  • large cervical glands make a diagnosis of glandular fever more likely
  • occipital glands point to rubella
• skin rashes may point to viral or bacterial aetiology