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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Tonsillitis is most often caused by a common cold virus, but other viral and bacterial infections can also be the cause.
The most common bacterium causing tonsillitis is Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A streptococcus, the bacterium that causes most cases of strep throat.
Why do tonsils get infected?
Tonsils produce certain types of disease-fighting white blood cells. So the tonsils are believed to act as the immune system's first line of defense against bacteria and viruses that enter your mouth.
This function may make the tonsils particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. However, the tonsil's immune system function declines after puberty — a factor that may account for the rare cases of tonsillitis in adults.
- Tonsillopharyngitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch090/ch090i.html. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsillitis. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsillitis.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Tonsillitis. Healthy Children: American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/pages/Tonsillitis.aspx. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- The difference between a sore throat, strep and tonsillitis. Healthy Children: American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/pages/The-Difference-Between-a-Sore-Throat-Strep-and-Tonsillitis.aspx. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Wetmore R. Tonsils and adenoids. In: Kliegman R, et al., eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/193178650-2/0/1608/0.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsilsAdenoids.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Tonsillar cellulitis and abscess. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual of Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec19/ch222/ch222b.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Streptococcal and enterococcal infections. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch171/ch171d.html. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Information from your family doctor. Sore throat. American Family Physician. 2006;74:1185.
- Get smart: Know when antibiotics work. Symptom relief. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/symptom-relief.html. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Fact sheet: Tonsils and adenoids post-op. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/tonsilsAdenoidsPostop.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 7, 2010.
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