Pharyngitis - streptococcal; Streptococcal pharyngitis

Most people with strep are contagious until they have been on antibiotics 24 - 48 hours. They should stay home from school, daycare, or work until they have been on antibiotics for at least a day.

Get a new toothbrush after you are no longer contagious, but before finishing the antibiotics. Otherwise the bacteria can live in the toothbrush and re-infect you when the antibiotics are done. Also, keep your family's toothbrushes and utensils separate, unless they have been washed.

If repeated cases of strep still occur in a family, you might check to see if someone is a strep carrier. Carriers have strep in their throats, but the bacteria do not make them sick. Sometimes, treating them can prevent others from getting strep throat.

Gerber MA, Baltimore RS, Eaton CB, et al. Prevention of rheumatic fever and diagnosis and treatment of acute Streptococcal pharyngitis: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Disease Committee of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, the Interdisciplinary Council on Functional Genomics and Translational Biology, and the Interdisciplinary Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research: endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Circulation. 2009 Mar 24;119(11):1541-51.

Chan TV. The Patient with Sore Throat. Med Clin North Am. 2010 Sep;94(5):923-43.

Shaikh N, Leonard E, Martin JM. Prevalence of streptococcal pharyngitis andstreptococcal carriage in children: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2010 Sep;126(3):e557-64.

Del Mar C, Glasziou PP, Spinks A. Antibiotics for sore throat. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Oct 18;(4):CD000023.

Altamimi S, Khalil A, Khalaiwi KA, Milner R, Pusic MV, Al Othman MA. Short versus standard duration antibiotic therapy for acute streptococcal pharyngitis in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004872.

This article uses information by permission from Alan Greene, M.D., © Greene Ink, Inc.

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Strep throat

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Strep throat Treatment

Review Date: 02/12/2011
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)