(HealthDay News) -- Strep throat is a painful bacterial infection. It almost always requires antibiotic treatment to prevent more serious complications, so you should see your doctor if you have symptoms.

Here are the most common warning signs of strep throat, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Sore throat.
• Redness of the throat.
• White patches in the throat.
• Difficult or painful swallowing.
• Sudden fever.
• Nausea and loss of appetite.
• Swollen, tender lymph nodes in the neck.
• Rash.
• General malaise.