Is Strep Throat Contagious?

Strep throat is a contagious infection that can be cured with antibiotics, but you should avoid contact within anyone for at least 24 hours. Learn more.

Is it a sore throat or strep? The length of time that you feel ill is one way to know what you have. A sore throat frequently is the first sign of a cold. It usually lasts a day or two. Strep throat, however, is an infection caused by streptococcus bacteria and can last a few weeks. The good news is that antibiotics can treat it.

Is strep throat contagious?

Strep throat is spread through contact from an infected person. If someone with strep throat coughs or sneezes near you and you are sprayed with a few droplets from that person, you can get infected.

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Symptoms of strep throat

If you have strep, you’ll notice your throat is sore and red. Other symptoms include:

• Severe pain when swallowing
• A fever of 101 or higher
• Swollen lymph nodes in the front of your neck

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they have taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours. That kills the window of contagion. You can pass untreated strep throat to another person, especially in your home.

To find out if you have strep throat, your doctor will recommend a rapid strep screen test. Your doctor will take a sample of cells from your tonsils and the back of your throat. Then your doctor will test the cells in his office. You can get the results in fewer than five minutes. If the rapid strep screen is positive, you have strep throat and won’t need any further tests.

If the test comes back negative and you have the symptoms of strep, your doctor may do a different throat culture test. Your physician to use a cotton swab to get cells from your tonsils or the back of your throat. The sample is then sent to a lab and tested for strep bacteria. You’ll receive the results within two days.

Antibiotics for strep throat

If either test comes back positive for strep throat, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to clear your infection.

Penicillin is usually prescribed for strep throat, unless you are allergic to it. In that case, your doctor may prescribe cephalexin, erythromycin, or azithromycin.

How long is strep throat contagious?

Strep throat is easy to spread until you’ve taken the prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours. Don’t return to work, or allow your child to return to school, until after the 24 hours.

The best way to prevent strep throat is to wash your hands often, cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and don’t drink from the same glass or eat from the same plate or share utensils with someone who is infected with the disease.

You should also keep your distance from someone who has strep throat.

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