在英国的全科医疗中,每年每 1000 人中有 100 例反复性咽喉痛。[2]BMJ Clinical Evidence. Recurrent throat infections (tonsillitis). http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com (last accessed 8 August 2014).http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/ent/0503/0503.jsp 在美国,咽喉痛占门诊就诊原因的 2.1%。[3]National Center for Health Statistics. National ambulatory medical care survey: 1998 summary. July 2000. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ (last accessed 8 August 2016).http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad315.pdf 急性扁桃体炎在 5-15 岁的儿童中更常见。在出现咽喉痛的儿童中,细菌性扁桃体炎(尤其是 A 族 β 溶血性链球菌 [group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, GABHS])的患病率为 15%-30%,而在出现咽喉痛的成人中,这一患病率为 5%-15%。[4]Komaroff AL, Pass TM, Aronson MD, et al. The prediction of streptococcal pharyngitis in adults. J Gen Intern Med. 1986 Jan-Feb;1(1):1-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3534166?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Kaplan EL, Top FH Jr, Dudding BA, et al. Diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis: differentiation of active infection from the carrier state in the symptomatic child. J Infect Dis. 1971;123:490-501.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5115179?tool=bestpractice.com[6]Schroeder BM. Diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis. Am Fam Physician. 2003;67:880-884.http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0215/p880.htmlhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12613739?tool=bestpractice.com
急性扁桃体炎在一年中的任何时候都可以发生,不过在温带气候中,以冬季及早春发病更为常见。[7]Wald ER, Green MD, Schwartz B, et al. A streptococcal score card revisited. Pediatr Emerg Care. 1998 Apr;14(2):109-11.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9583390?tool=bestpractice.com