Show
Strep Throat: All You Need to KnowWorried your sore throat may be strep throat? Doctors can do a quick test to see if a sore throat is strep throat. Antibiotics can help people with strep throat feel better faster and prevent spreading it to others. Bacteria cause strep throatViruses are the most common cause of a sore throat. However, strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep). How you get strep throatGroup A strep live in the nose and throat and can easily spread to other people. People who are infected spread the bacteria by talking, coughing, or sneezing, which creates small respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria. They can also spread the bacteria from infected sores on their skin. It usually takes two to five days for someone exposed to group A strep to become ill with strep throat. It is important to know that some infected people do not have symptoms or seem sick. People sick with strep throat are much more contagious than those who do not have symptoms. People can get sick if they:
Rarely, people can spread group A strep through food that is not handled properly (visit CDC’s food safety page). Pain and fever without a cough are common signs and symptomsIn general, strep throat is a mild infection, but it can be very painful. The most common symptoms of strep throat include:
Other symptoms may include a headache, stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting — especially in children. Someone with strep throat may also have a rash; when this happens it is known as scarlet fever (scarlatina). The following symptoms suggest a virus is the cause of the illness instead of strep throat:
A sore throat that starts quickly, pain with swallowing, and fever are some of the common signs and symptoms of strep throat. Children and certain adults are at increased riskAnyone can get strep throat, but there are some factors that can increase the risk of getting this common infection. Strep throat is more common in children than adults. It is most common in children 5 through 15 years old. It is very rare in children younger than 3 years old. Adults who are at increased risk for strep throat include:
Close contact with another person with strep throat is the most common risk factor for illness. For example, if someone has strep throat, the bacteria often spread to other people in their household. Infectious illnesses tend to spread wherever large groups of people gather. Crowded settings can increase the risk of getting a group A strep infection. These settings include:
A simple test gives fast resultsA doctor will determine what type of illness you have by asking about symptoms and doing a physical exam. If they think you might have strep throat, they will swab your throat to test for strep throat. There are two types of tests for strep throat: a rapid strep test and throat culture. A rapid strep test involves swabbing the throat and running a test on the swab. The test quickly shows if group A strep is causing the illness. If the test is positive, doctors can prescribe antibiotics. If the test is negative, but a doctor still suspects strep throat, then the doctor can take a throat culture swab. A throat culture takes time to see if group A strep bacteria grow from the swab. While it takes more time, a throat culture sometimes finds infections that the rapid strep test misses. Culture is important to use in children and teens since they can get rheumatic fever from an untreated strep throat infection. For adults, it is usually not necessary to do a throat culture following a negative rapid strep test. Adults are generally not at risk of getting rheumatic fever following a strep throat infection. Someone with strep throat should start feeling better in just a day or two after starting antibiotics. Call the doctor if you or your child are not feeling better after taking antibiotics for 48 hours. Antibiotics get you well fastDoctors treat strep throat with antibiotics. Either penicillin or amoxicillin are recommended as a first choice for people who are not allergic to penicillin. Doctors can use other antibiotics to treat strep throat in people who are allergic to penicillin. Benefits of antibiotics include:
Someone who tests positive for strep throat but has no symptoms (called a “carrier”) usually does not need antibiotics. They are less likely to spread the bacteria to others and very unlikely to get complications. If a carrier gets a sore throat illness caused by a virus, the rapid strep test can be positive. In these cases, it can be hard to know what is causing the sore throat. If someone keeps getting a sore throat after taking the right antibiotics, they may be a strep carrier and have a viral throat infection. Talk to a doctor if you think you or your child may be a strep carrier. Serious complications are not common but can happenComplications can occur after a strep throat infection. This can happen if the bacteria spread to other parts of the body. Complications can include:
Protect yourself and othersPeople can get strep throat more than once. Having strep throat does not protect someone from getting it again in the future. While there is no vaccine to prevent strep throat, there are things people can do to protect themselves and others. Good hygiene helps prevent group A strep infections The best way to keep from getting or spreading group A strep is to wash your hands often. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing and before preparing foods or eating. To prevent group A strep infections, you should:
You should also wash glasses, utensils, and plates after someone who is sick uses them. These items are safe for others to use once washed. Wash your hands often to help prevent germs from spreading. Antibiotics help prevent spreading the infection to others People with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or daycare until they:
Take the prescription exactly as the doctor says to. Don’t stop taking the medicine, even if you or your child feel better, unless the doctor says to stop. You can find more guidance on taking antibiotics on CDC’s Antibiotic Do’s & Don’ts Page. Can you see strep without tonsils?If you no longer have your tonsils, you can still experience the above symptoms with strep throat. The only difference is you won't have swollen tonsils. Sore throats that aren't strep may be caused by a virus.
What do strep throat spots look like?Tiny red bumps on the roof of your mouth care called petechiae and are a common symptom of a strep throat infection. These bumps are caused by small capillaries in the roof of your mouth leaking and are often caused by serious infections.
Why does it feel like I have strep throat but I don't have tonsils?Even if you've had your tonsils removed, you can still become sick with strep throat. That's because the bacteria that causes strep, called Group A. Streptococcus, is still able to populate the tissues in the back of your throat even without your tonsils.
Can you tell strep throat by looking?if you have a fever, you're more likely to have strep; and. the fourth thing, if you can somehow look in a mirror or if someone can look in your mouth with a flashlight, kind of pushing your tongue down a little bit, and you can see your tonsils and there's white stuff on the tonsils, that also suggests strep.
|