The difference between tonsil ulcer and suppuration, let you know

What is the difference between tonsil ulcer and suppuration? Purulent tonsillitis is an acute purulent inflammation of the palatine tonsils caused by various pathogenic microorganisms. It is a common upper respiratory tract infectious disease, often accompanied by varying degrees of inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa and lymphoid tissue. Let’s take a deeper look below.

1. Pharyngeal diphtheria

An acute infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, characterized by the formation of grayish-white pseudomembrane in the pharyngeal mucosa and systemic toxemia caused by diphtheria exotoxin. Patients with mild symptoms develop slowly, mostly with low fever, body temperature around 38°C, and mild sore throat. Severe patients have an acute onset and severe sore throat, and may experience high fever, irritability, rapid breathing, cyanosis, and circulatory failure. Diphtheria bacteria can be found in smears and cultures of nasal and pharyngeal swabs.

2. Vincent's pharyngitis (ulcerative membranous pharyngitis or ulcerative tonsillitis)

Subacute tonsillitis caused by Fusobacterium and Treponema Vincennes is characterized by obvious localized inflammatory reaction and ulcer formation, mostly unilateral pharyngeal pain, which may be accompanied by headache, back and joint pain, and mostly low fever, generally not exceeding 38.5℃. The lesion is limited to one tonsil and may also involve the palatine arch, gums and pharyngeal wall. The lesion is covered with a thick and dirty pseudomembrane, which is yellow or grayish white and easy to wipe off. After wiping, there are small bleeding spots on the ulcer surface.

3. Agranulocytic pharyngitis

The onset is acute, often accompanied by high fever, mental depression, and rapid exhaustion. The local pseudomembrane has black-green necrotic tissue, there are ulcers under the pseudomembrane, and the white blood cell count is extremely low.

4. Mononucleosis pharyngitis

The disease develops rapidly and is more common in children. One side of the tonsil is red and swollen, accompanied by swollen lymph nodes throughout the body. The monocyte count can reach 40% to 80%, and abnormal lymphocytes account for more than 10% of the total white blood cell count.