How do you get strep throat? For how long is it contagious after receiving antibiotic treatment?
595976
What is strep throat?\nStrep throat is a bacterial infection of the tissues in the back of the throat and the tonsils. The tissues become irritated and inflamed, causing a sudden, severe sore throat.\n\nWhat causes strep throat?\nStrep throat is caused by streptococcal (strep) bacteria. There are many different strains of strep bacteria, some of which cause more serious illness than others. The type of strep that most commonly infects the throat is called group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABS). Other types that can sometimes infect the throat are groups C and G strep bacteria.\n\nWhat are the symptoms?\nThe most common symptoms of strep throat are a sudden, severe sore throat; pain or difficulty swallowing; fever over 101 °F(38.3 °C); swollen tonsils and lymph nodes; and white or yellow spots on the back of a bright red throat. Strep infection may also cause a headache and abdominal pain. Less commonly, strep throat can cause a red skin rash, vomiting, loss of appetite, and a general feeling of discomfort or illness.\n\nThe incubation period—the period from when you are first exposed to the bacteria until you develop symptoms—is 2 to 5 days.\n\nYou are considered contagious (able to spread the infection to others) while you still have symptoms; you are usually no longer contagious within 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotics. However, if you do not seek treatment for strep throat, you may continue to be contagious for 2 to 3 weeks even if your symptoms go away.\n\nIn general, sore throats are most often caused by a viral infection and not strep bacteria. Strep throat does not occur with coldlike symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, or a runny or stuffy nose. The more coldlike symptoms you have, the less likely it is that your sore throat is a strep infection.\n\nHow is strep throat diagnosed?\nStrep throat is diagnosed with a physical examination, medical history, and a rapid strep test. A throat culture is sometimes done to confirm the results of the rapid strep test.\n\nHow is it treated?\nStrep throat will go away in 3 to 7 days with or without treatment. However, strep throat is still treated with antibiotics even if they do not speed recovery. Antibiotics kill the strep bacteria, shorten the time you are contagious, and reduce the risk of complications, such as the infection spreading to other parts of your body. Antibiotics are effective in relieving symptoms of strep throat only if they are given within 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin.1\n\nYour health professional also may also recommend nonprescription medications to relieve pain and discomfort and reduce fever caused by strep throat.
440494
Not possible. Strep throat must be taken care of with antibiotics. It is too serious of an infection to not provide proper treatment for. Left untreated, Strep can cause rheumatic fever and kidney disease. If you suspect you have strep, it's important to get to a doc ASAP.
846459
No you cannot. My doctor told me that you have to wait at least 2 weeks after taking an antibiotic to get any vaccinations.
72980
I don't know how long you've had the sore throat, but I would go see a doctor. It could be strep throat, which can only be treated with antibiotics. If you leave strep throat untreated, the bacteria can attack your heart.
553054
When you friend had pharyngitis first, the doc administered penicillin. Over time however the bacteria got 'resistant' to penicillin (most probably because either she took too much of it or did not take the penicillin on time/at regular intervals like she should have) meaning that it now has a new gene that prevents it from being affected by penicillin - thats the prob with antibiotics - on long term use most bacteria get resistant. \n\nSo now the remedy is use a stronger antibiotic that would work against the bacterial infection. Ask the doc to prescribe a stronger antibiotic, however if it is not taken regulalry, the bacteria can become antibiotic tolerant.
373230
There are other strong medicines that you may need to take. Other antibiotics that belongs to a different classification. The best thing to do is to see ENT, have a culture throat swab culture(which is important) we never know maybe the strep and other bacteria have developed resistance already with the one you are taking now(penicillin) so it will not work anymore.\nAlso, have soft diet, so it wont cause must pain when you swallow. Yes, drink a lot of fluids. Salt water may just irritate your throat, better to stop it. Use betadine gargle or any oral antiseptic 3x daily.\nHope you feel better soon.
201979
This sounds like a simple question but in practice it can be very difficult to know if a person is suffering from a viral or bacterial infection.  \n\nPharyngitis (sore throat) for instance is more likely to be bacterial if the person has pus on their tonsils, swollen, tender glands, and a fever over 100 F.  With those three symptoms the likelihood that it is strep throat is about 75%.  There is a quick strep test that can be used to further establish whether group-A strep is present in about five minutes.  These tests are supposedly 90-95% certain.  Finally a sample can be taken and cultured and in three days the results available (but by then the person has had strep throat for three days!).  Therefore, sometimes instead of delaying testing you make a judgement about how sick the person looks and sometimes there is a distinctive smell to strep throat - and you treat with antibiotics based on your knowledge and judgement.  \n\nEvery illness has its own presentation and your medical provider can determine if your illness is likely to be viral or bacterial.  You might feel awful with some illness but there might be good indications the illness is viral and an antibiotic is not going to be helpful (as antibiotics only kill bacteria).  The flu for instance is viral and does not require antibiotics.
301697
Unfortunately, there is such thing as reoccurring strep throat. I ended up getting strep throat six times in three months, and in the end had to take a massive shot of penicillin.
638644
The sad truth is that many doctors would have missed this...especially if the child had no fever at the time he was at the doctor.  Even many parents don't know that a staph infection can cause a rash.\n\nAs a child, the only time we ever knew my oldest son had a strep throat was when he got a rash!  He never complained of a sore throat, ate normally and had no fever!  He was misdiagnosed a few times too until the pediatrician figured it out.  After that, the minute I saw the rash, we all knew what it was.\n\nI never saw it as a reason to change pediatricians.  Medicine is  not an exact science as all people are different and all manifest disease in different ways.  Doctors are human and will make mistakes too.  My doctor learned from my son's rash...just as I did.\n\nHowever, you have to do what you feel is right for you.  Only you can make that decision.
528291
sounds like strep...but he should go in for a throat culture to make sure its not a different bacteria than streptococus. doesn't sound like the mumps. if he doesn't want to get the throat culture, you can usually cal your physician and ask them to prescribe ammoxacillin to your husband without having to go into the doctors office because amoxacillin is a broad spectrum antibiotic meaning it will kill a broad range of different bacteria. if he gets a throat culture done and is positive for strep, ask your doctor for zythromax also known as a "z-pack" it's a strep specific antibiotic with will usually cure the infection in 4 days time with only having to take 5 pills (2 pills on day one and 1 pill each of the 3 other days) as oppised to having to take 2 weeks worth of amoxacillin 3 times a day.
990360
Stop taking the throat losanges.  They may make you feel good now, but they tend to dry out the throat and make the problem worse.  They definately don't seem to be curing you of anything.  \n\nIf it keeps bothering you, go back to the doctor; you may have something besides strep throat, which would be the only thing antibiotics would work on.
970777
you can get mono from kissing, sharing a pop, a ciggarette,etc. because it's a virus , antibiotics won't work. it is common for the throat to get infected & the breath to get very foul--this means you will have to go get some antibiotics from the doc. mono can last anywhere from 2 weeks to 8 weeks. sometimes 3 months. it is also called sleeping sickness because sometimes you can't do much more than sleep .\n to help it go away faster--throw away your old toothbrush & get a new one. run it under hot water when done brushing & rinse it in some listerine. gargle often with warm salt water for sore throat & well...get lotsa rest & try to drink lotsa fluids
810769
With strep the amox is going to take longer than that. You should see a pretty big difference in the next 2 days. Strep sucks! Don't forget the water, very important for the amox to work properly. Best of luck & hope he feels better soon.
930171
So long as you have been on antibiotics for a FULL 24 hours, you should no longer be contagious. However, your work may feel better if you stay home. I would contact your boss. Do you feel up to going to work? If you work in front of a computer or anything that you use your eyes heavily, you may want to consider staying home for a day.
331744
Do not listen to the people saying you have to take antibiotics. That is for bacteria. Viruses can not be killed with antibiotics. \n\nYou can not get rid of mono. Once you are infected, you are infected. It is a latent virus. It will always be there, even if you feel okay. I caught it in December and I still have my good and bad days.\n\nAlso, mono symptoms do not present for a few weeks after infection. So if you are showing symptoms now, sounds like a bacterial infection, like strep. Just go to the doctor, and let them sort it out.\n\nTo Courtney: people will secrete the virus in their saliva from time to time, even after they are feeling good. As I said above, it usually takes a month for symptoms to show...and with some people, they don't even know they had mono, because the immune system catches it before it can overwhelm it. It all depends. You could've caught it a couple months after she came down with it and you shared a cup with her or something. It's that easy!
454569
You can't.  If you really have step then antibiotics is the only answer.  Strep is not something to play around with.  You can have serious consequences if you let strep go untreated.
343893
yah this is how strep throat starts, if you dont go to the doctor and get medicine soon.  It will get very sore and you will be lucky if you can swallow water.  I had this 3 times before :(