[Etiology and clinical expression of angina]

Angina is a tonsillopharangitis infection. Its definition appears somewhat ambiguous since angina is a symptom, whereas tonsillitis is due to a tonsil infection. The classification of angina is rather arbitrary, as angina presents various clinical aspects. Conversely, the same clinical aspects can also be due to different infectious agents. Clinical examination will define some aspects follows: erythematous angina of the oropharynx or erthematopultaceous tonsillitis, pseudomembranous, ulcerous and ulcero-necrotic or vesiculose angina. The etiology of angina is only partially understood and only very few studies have been reported. Viruses make up the main etiology. Group A streptococci is the main cause of angina. Group A streptococcus, particularly in children, is considered as a predominant factor, with a peak occuring between 5 and 10 years of age, while 30 % to 50 % of angina infections appear to be of viral origin in adults. The main difficulty lies in diagnosis and detection since the clinical aspect of angina, due to streptococcal infection has no specificity.