Some North Texas doctors are seeing an uptick in the number of strep cases they're diagnosing.
Dr. Richard Honaker with Family Medicine Associates of Texas in Carrollton, said he is diagnosing about four times the number of usual cases.
The increases started about six weeks ago. Honaker believes the severe allergy season, caused by the drought, may be to blame.
"When people are carrying strep and aren't quite sick yet," said Dr. Honaker. "If they're having allergies and they're sneezing. Well, they're sneezing germs that are brewing in their body. They're sneezing those all over the place."
Dr. Honaker also said he is diagnosing significantly more patients over the age of 40; a sign the bacteria may be more aggressive than in past years.
