Tuesday, October 19, 2010

How Contagious Is Strep Throat?


Strep throat is an infection caused by bacteria that affects tonsils and the throat. This is common in children and highly contagious. This bacteria spreads through the secretion from the nose, cough or sneezing.

The symptoms of this condition include pain in the throat, swelling in the tonsil and cough. Other symptoms to watch for are high grade fever, headaches, nausea and problem in swallowing. When this condition occurs without being accompanied by symptoms of cold, it can be considered as bacterial infection. When the cold symptoms occur alongside, it can be considered as a viral infection.

Appearance of reddish spots on the roof of the mouth, or on the back of the throat, appearance of white spots in the throat and tonsils alongside swollen tonsil, swelling of lymph nodes inside the neck, loss in appetite or pain in the lower portion of the stomach are also indicators of strep throat. Some specific strands of bacteria can also cause scarlet or rheumatic fever.

The infection is contagious which implies that a person with weak immunity will be prone to get infected. It takes about 3 to 8 days for the infection to manifest after being exposed to it. This infection can be treated with antibiotics like amoxicillin, cefprozil, cephalexin and so on. The child must not interact with others for up to 24 hours after commencement of medication. Apart from medicines, one can gargle with lukewarm water along with a pinch of salt in it or drink herbal tea for further relief. Avoiding contact with infected people is the best way to prevent the infection.








About Author:
Kum Martin is an online leading expert in the healthcare industry. He also offers top quality articles like:
Prostate Cancer Signs, Ovarian Cancer Symptoms


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