One of the first outpatient problems a primary care trainee learns to manage is sore throat.  The current algorithm is fairly simple.  Most sore throats are caused by viruses and will not improve with antibiotics.  Symptomatic medication for pain and fever is the best we can offer.  But a significant minority of sore throats is caused by a bacterium called group A β-hemolytic streptococcus.  These cases are more commonly known as “strep throat”.  In strep throat antibiotics shorten the duration ...