What symptom is commonly associated with sore throat in pharyngitis?

Fever and swollen lymph nodes are commonly associated symptoms of pharyngitis, particularly when the inflammation is due to an infectious process such as viral or bacterial infection. In the case of viral pharyngitis, patients often experience systemic symptoms like fever as the body responds to the infection, and swollen lymph nodes indicate the immune system's activation in fighting off the pathogens. These symptoms help clinicians differentiate pharyngitis caused by bacterial infections, such as streptococcal infections, from those that are viral in nature, which may present differently.

While persistent cough, nasal congestion, and skin rash can occur in other conditions, they are not hallmark symptoms of pharyngitis specifically. For instance, a cough is often associated with respiratory issues rather than throat-specific conditions, nasal congestion typically relates more to conditions like rhinitis, and skin rashes are more indicative of systemic infections or allergic reactions rather than localized throat infection. Thus, fever and swollen lymph nodes serve as key indicators in identifying the presence and potential severity of pharyngitis.