Taking your antibiotics as directed prevents complications and helps stop the spread.
This article explores how long strep throat is contagious and how it’s treated.
It also provides a few tips to reduce your risk of catching strep.
Jim Craigmyle / Getty Images
Jim Craigmyle / Getty Images
How Long Is Strep Throat Contagious?
Individuals with strep throat can be contagious for a few days before they start showing symptoms.
This means that someone who has not gotten sick yet can spread the infection.
Some people with strep do not develop symptoms and may not feel sick at all.
How Do I Know if I Have Strep Throat?
Common symptoms of strep throat include asore throatthat comes on quickly and causes pain with swallowing.
People can also pass strep throat through coughing, sneezing, and touching people or contaminated objects (e.g.
doorknobs, door handles, and utensils).
Although it is possible to get strep throat from eating contaminated food or milk, it’s very rare.
There is no evidence that you might catch strep from your pet, either.
Risk Factors
Some factors can increase your risk of contracting strep throat.
This is because carriers are less likely to spread the bacteria to others and very unlikely to develop complications.
When this happens, bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotics, and cause further harm to the body.
In some cases, it can develop intosepsis(blood infection), which is a life-threatening condition.
Complications of Strep Throat
Although uncommon, complications can occur after a strep throat infection.
This can happen if the bacteria spread to other parts of the body.
However, this is rare.
This prevents the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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