Acute Tonsillitis


Primarily, the tonsil consists of (a) surface epithelium which is continuous with the oropharyngeal lining; (b) crypts which are tubelike imaginations from the surface epithelium; and (c) the fymphoid tissue. Acute infections of tonsil may involve these components and are thus classified as:

I. Acute catarrhal or superficial tonsillitis. Here tonsillitis is a part of generalised pharyngitis and is mostly seen in viral infections.

4.
Acute folliciilar tonsillitis. Infection spreads into the crypts which become filled with purulent material, presenting at the openings of crypts as yellowish spots. Acute parenchymatous tonsillitis. Here tonsil substance is affected. Tonsil is uniformly enlarged and red. Acute membranous tonsillitis. It is a stage ahead of acute follicular tonsillitis when exudation from the crypts coalesces to form a membrane on the surface of tonsil.

Aetiology

Acute tonsillitis not only affects school-going children, but also adults. It is rare in infants and in persons who are above 50 years of age.
Haemolytic streptococcus is the most commonly infecting organism. Other causes of infection may be staphylococci


pneumococci or H. influenzae. These bacteria may primarily infect the tonsil or may be secondary to a viral infection.