A viral throat infection is a sore throat caused by a virus, not bacteria. Although many people suspect strep throat when they have a sore throat, most sore throats are caused by a virus similar to the virus that causes the common cold or influenza. A viral infection, unlike strep throat and other bacterial infections, cannot be treated with antibiotics but usually resolves quickly without the use of antiviral medications. Viral infections that affect the throat may include croup in children, the common cold, flu, chickenpox, measles, and mononucleosis.
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