That Awful Sore Throat Everyone’s Talking About? Here’s the Deal

Photograph by Andrea Piacquadio

Talk to anyone right now, and chances are they’re sick or just getting over a gnarly infection that comes with a horrible sore throat, lots of mucus, and zero energy for days (or even weeks!). People are calling it the “mystery throat virus,” and claim they haven’t been down for the count like this in years. What’s going on? For answers, we reached out to Eric Sachinwalla, Jefferson Health’s medical director of infection prevention and control, to learn about what’s leaving us bedridden — and how long it’ll take to get back to healthy.

Listen to the audio version here:

It seems like everyone is really sick right now! What is going around?
Most patients who have had that really bad sore throat had adenovirus, a common virus that spreads throughout the year. Unlike flu and COVID, which we can consider treating with prescribed medications, we don’t often test for adenovirus because there’s no real treatment for it — or for other viruses we tend to see this time of year, like parainfluenza and rhinovirus.

So what is adenovirus, exactly?
Adenovirus is a group of common viruses that can cause cold- or flu-like symptoms. It’s pretty contagious because it’s heartier than other viruses — soap and water, or everyday disinfectant, won’t kill it. So it tends to live in the environment longer. You see more clusters of these infections in places like daycares and military barracks because of close contact — it can spread through the respiratory tract, shed through stool, and live a while on contaminated surfaces. As for symptoms, adenovirus attacks many different parts of the body, so you can experience everything from sore throat, runny nose, and cough to middle-ear infection, high fever, and shortness of breath. It can even cause pink eye and diarrhea. It all depends on what strain it is — there are nearly 60 for adenovirus. We don’t necessarily know which subtype is causing illness right now.

Wow! All those symptoms could make it difficult to figure out what you actually have. At what point should you see a doctor?
For sure, this can be tricky. If you’re generally healthy and you’re feeling crummy, but not experiencing shortness of breath or high fever, you’ll likely be okay and get better with supportive care at home. The people who should seek medical attention are those who are immunocompromised, parents of young babies, or have underlying medical conditions like lung or heart disease. But if you’re sick, don’t just show up to your doctor’s office. Call first — they might want to do a telehealth visit if your symptoms sound very contagious.

How many days should you ride out your symptoms at home?
If you’re feeling worse by day three, that might be a good reason to call your doctor and see if what you’re experiencing is worth getting checked out for.

Got it. So if this typically spreads every year, why have people basically been bedridden this time around?
There are different variants, and viruses often mutate, so that could be the case this season. Perhaps this variation is causing these more severe symptoms and just knocking people down. Think back to COVID. At the start of the pandemic, the main symptom was loss of smell, but we don’t see that symptom much anymore. This past summer, the major symptom of COVID patients was a razor-blade sore throat. Viruses — and their symptoms — evolve.

Doctors are predicting that this flu season is going to be pretty rough. What are you seeing?
Like I said, we don’t typically test for adenovirus, but the numbers the City does have aren’t particularly higher than prior years. (Ed. Note: The City of Philadelphia tracks cases of illnesses when they get testing results from local healthcare facilities.) As for this upcoming flu season, the forecast is based on the prior season in the southern hemisphere — it tends to predict how we’re going to fare — and they had more infections than they did last year. But also: Fewer people are getting their flu shots, for a number of reasons. Though the shot isn’t perfect, it can help reduce the severity of symptoms if you do come down with the flu.

What at-home remedies do you recommend that actually work?
The biggest thing is rest, which I know can be hard for some people! You also want to stay hydrated. Not all fevers need to be treated with Tylenol or Motrin, either. A fever is actually a tool of your body’s immune system — it’s how we fight infection. Still, if your fever is accompanied by body aches or chills, maybe you’ll want to turn to medication. And if it reaches 103 or 104 degrees, call your doctor.

Will any of those remedies help people get better, faster?
Unfortunately, nothing I’ve seen is a quick fix. Sometimes, it just takes several days to feel better. For the flu, Tamiflu can sometimes cut off a day or two if you catch it early, but for adenovirus and similar illnesses, you often have to let them run their course. Basic hygiene practices, like frequent handwashing and cleaning high-touch surfaces, typically work the best to keep you healthy.