Is Strep Throat Contagious?

Simply put, strep throat is contagious. You can pass this to other people by coughing, sneezing, kissing, shaking hands, and sharing personal hygiene items. Along with this, the infection can be picked up by hard surfaces, allowing it to make its way from one person to the next.

The most common way for strep throat to spread is through hand to hand contact. For this reason, frequent hand washing can cut back on the chance of contracting the disease.

As noted above, strep throat can also be passed on by a variety of objects, such as silverware, doors knobs, and keyboards. To protect against this, it is important to disinfect these breeding grounds as often as possible.

How Long is Strep Throat Contagious?

There is no denying the fact that strep throat is contagious. That being said, the period during which it is contagious can and will vary based on a variety of factors.

For instance, after being exposed to strep throat there is typically two to five days during which you will not experience symptoms. Since you are not yet sick yourself, there is a good chance you will unknowingly share the infection with others.

Once the symptoms of strep throat set in, you are extremely contagious and should begin to avoid others to ensure that you don’t infect them.

If you are diagnosed by a medical professional with strep throat, you will be prescribed an antibiotic for treatment. Approximately 24 hours after starting an antibiotic you will no longer be contagious. Along with this, antibiotics can help rid your body of symptoms within one to two days.

Note: if you have strep throat but neglect treatment with an antibiotic, you will remain contagious. On top of this, you cannot expect your symptoms to go away as quickly, if at all.

Since strep throat is contagious, anybody with this disease should do what they can to avoid spreading it to others.