Minutus

Hi all,

Hoping someone can shed light... My husband has (but is already getting
over) strep throat, and I'm trying to figure out whether it's okay to have
our scheduled visit this weekend with elderly family members. His clinic
wants him to avoid people until he's taken ABs for at least 24 hours, but by
the time he got this info, he was already thru the worst, seems to be nearly
over it now.

Short of taking ABs, how does one decide when a case of strep is no longer
contagious? Does the fact that he's nearly better mean he won't be
contagious? (Hope, hope?)

Also, how is the contagion spread? If he's not not coughing or sneezing and
doesn't share glasses with them, are they still at risk?

Thanks!
Shannon

Hi Shannon
This info is readily available in any medical book, and on the web????
Scarlet Fever and Strep. Throat
Symptoms: Usually appear two to five days after exposure. Fever, sore throat
(pussy, swollen tonsils), strawberry tongue, fine red rash that gets white
with pressure and tender swollen cervical lymph nodes. Rash appears on neck,
chest, folds of underarms, elbows, groin, and inside of legs. Later peeling
of the skin from the fingers, hands, toes, etc. May have temperature.
Mode of Transmission: Direct or intimate contact with carriers, rarely by
indirect contact through objects or hands. Nasal carriers are particularly
likely to transmit disease. Casual contact rarely leads to infection.
Incubation: Short, usually 1-3 days, rarely longer.
Period of Communicability: In untreated, uncomplicated cases, 10-21 days; in
untreated conditions with purulent discharges, weeks or months. With
adequate penicillin therapy, transmissibility generally is terminated within
24-48 hours.
Recommendations: Seek treatment by a physician as soon as possible,
untreated Strep. Throat can lead to Scarlet Fever.
School Attendance Policy: Restricted until student has been on antibiotics
and temperature free for 24 hours.

Allopathic info is readily available and well presented in Mercks Manual.
Dx of disease should be accomplished by culture and a targeted antibiotic if
that's the chosen course of action.