What Is Strep Throat?

What is strep throat? About a third of children with a sore throat have a strep infection. Rare in children younger than three, strep usually occurs between the ages of five and 15.

What is strep throat?

Most sore throats are caused by a virus. But bacteria called group A Streptococcus (group A strep) can infect your throat and make it sore.

Up to three in 10 children with a sore throat have a strep infection. That’s important to know because a strep infection could cause serious problems if left untreated. Unlike viruses, a strep infection can be treated with antibiotics.

Group A strep live in the nose and throat. You might be infected and not have any symptoms or feel sick, but if you cough or sneeze tiny drops leave you and carry the bacteria to other people.

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How does strep spread?

Other people can get sick if they breathe in those droplets or touch something with the droplets on it and touch their nose or mouth. You can also get it if you share a glass or eat from the same plate as someone who is infected. Group A strep can causes sores on the skin called impetigo. If you touch the sores, you can be infected as well. Very rarely, you might get group A strep from food. There is no evidence that pets or toys spread the bacteria.

It usually takes two to five days for your symptoms to show up after exposure. Strep spreads easily within a household.

Unlike with some viruses, you can get strep more than once — whenever you are exposed.

What are the symptoms of strep throat?

The most common signs of strep are pain when swallowing, fever, red or swollen tonsils that might also have white patches, tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth, and swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck. Children might also have a headache, stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting.

Suspect a virus, rather than strep, if you have a cough, runny nose, or pink eye, or if your throat is hoarse.

Who gets strep?

Anyone can get strep throat, but it’s rare in children younger than three. The prime time for strep is between the ages of five and 15. Among adults with a sore throat, only one in 10 have strep, usually because they’ve been in contact with children or another adult who has been with children.

How do you check for strep?

A doctor can’t tell just by looking at your throat. Instead, your doctor will swab your throat and run a rapid strep test. If it is positive for strep, you will most likely be given penicillin, amoxicillin, or another antibiotic. If it is negative but your doctor suspects strep, another test called a throat culture swab that takes longer can catch infections the rapid test misses. Children and teens can get rheumatic fever, a heart disease, if a strep infection isn’t treated.

If you or your child don’t feel better after 48 hours on antibiotics for a strep infection, speak to your doctor. Sometimes people get sick with a virus but also have a positive rapid strep test.

It’s rare for strep to spread to other parts of the body, but it does happen. Strep can infect abscesses around the tonsils, lymph nodes, sinuses, and ears, or even the kidneys or heart.

How can you prevent strep throat?

The best way to avoid getting or spreading this infection is to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds after coughing or sneezing and before eating or touching food. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or upper sleeve or a tissue.

It’s safe to use glasses and utensils and plates after someone who is sick has used them, but only if they are washed.

Stay home if you are sick until you no longer have a fever and have taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours. Finish your medication even if symptoms go away.

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