It is the accumulation of pus in the back of the mouth and around the tonsils, produced by a bacterial infection.
The origin of the infection is usually complicated tonsillitis.
It manifests with fever, chills, severe sore throat (usually on one side), difficulty opening the mouth, swelling of the face, headache, drooling or inability to swallow saliva, veiled voice and increased size and tenderness of nodes in the jaw and throat.
It is diagnosed by clinical history and oropharyngeal examination. The diagnosis will be completed with blood tests and imaging tests such as computed tomography.
Treatment is based on intravenous antibiotics and pain control with usual analgesics. More severe cases require surgical drainage of the pus, including removal of the tonsils.
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