Strep Throat Facts
Strep Throat Facts You Should Know
If you contract strep throat, facts will help you learn how to avoid infecting others with the disease.
• Strep throat is an infection that is brought on by the bacterium known as Group A Streptococcus. It may affect people of any age, but it seems to be most prevalent in children who are school-aged.
• After exposure, symptoms are not seen until one to five days later, and then they include: sore throat, fever and swollen and tender glands in the neck. People can also carry the bacteria that causes strep throat in their throats but never become symptomatic. They are called carriers.
• Strep throat facts include the appearance of a red rash all over the body, accompanying strep throat. This is known as “scarlet fever”.
• Strep throat is contagious, and it spreads from person to person. It spreads through contact with the mucus from the throat or nose of someone who is infected. It can also be spread through the air, after a person with the infection coughs or sneezes.
• In rare circumstances, people occasionally catch strep throat through eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated milk. Strep throat is contagious for up to twenty-four hours after the infected person receives an antibiotic. Otherwise, the disease can be spread from a period of 10-21 days, if the infected person does not receive antibiotics.
• To be diagnosed, strep throat is checked and confirmed by your doctor. He will do throat culture or a faster test, to determine whether you have strep throat or not.
• Antibiotics are very effective against strep throat. Facts tell us that treatment is important, because if none is received, your strep throat can lead to kidney disease or rheumatic fever, which can be serious or even life-threatening. If your child has strep throat, keep him or her out of school, and food handlers should be kept out of contact with food until 24 hours after they receive antibiotics.
• Strep throat, like many infectious diseases, can be prevented by: covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing; washing your hands before you prepare food; washing hands after you wipe or blow your nose after coughing or sneezing. Be sure to visit your doctor if you or you child develop symptoms of strep throat, so you can catch it early.
• In addition to treating with antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria, you can also use Tylenol or Motrin to relieve the throat pain of strep throat. Facts also have concluded that these other steps may make you or your child more comfortable: drink lots of water, to keep yourself hydrated and to ease throat pain; eat broths and soft foods that are easier for your sore throat to swallow; get plenty of rest, to help your body recover; gargle with warm salt water to relieve your sore throat pain; avoid cigarettes, smoke and fumes, as they might irritate your throat; run a humidifier to moisten the air you are breathing.
• Hopefully, your strep throat will be promptly treated and you or your youngster will recover quickly.