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Strep Throat
Also known as: Throat culture, Rapid strep test Formal name: Group A streptococcus, Group A beta hemolytic streptococcus Related tests: Influenza, Blood culture, ASO
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Common Questions
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1. How long does treatment for strep throat usually last?
2. How long should I stay away from other people if I have a positive test result?
3. When can my child go back to school?
4. If one child in my family has strep throat, is everyone going to get sick?
5. What is an ASO test and how is it used to detect a strep infection?
6. Do other group A streptoccous infections occur?
1. How long does treatment for strep throat usually last?
Ten to 14 days, depending on the antibiotic prescribed.
2. How long should I stay away from other people if I have a positive test result?
You should complete at least 24 hours of antibiotics before close respiratory contact with others.
3. When can my child go back to school?
Usually after one full day of therapy and absence of significant fever
4. If one child in my family has strep throat, is everyone going to get sick?
Other family members, including adults, can contract an infection from the bacteria. The doctor will usually test all family members who have sore throats and may in some instances want to test the whole family for strep throat. Although antibodies may protect those who have had previous strep infections, there are so many serotypes of this organism that being immune to all of them is unlikely. Therefore, people can get strep throat again and again.
5. What is an ASO test and how is it used to detect a strep infection?
Antistreptolysin O (ASO) is a blood test used to help diagnose a current or past infection with group A strep (Streptococcus pyogenes). It detects antibodies to streptolysin O, one of the many strep antigens. This test is rarely ordered now compared to thirty years ago. For an acute strep throat infection, this test is not performed; the throat culture is used. However, if a doctor is trying to find out if someone had a recent strep infection that may not have been diagnosed, this test could be helpful. In addition, it may be used to help diagnose rheumatic fever, which occurs weeks after a strep throat infection when the throat culture would no longer be positive.
6. Do other group A streptoccous infections occur?
Group A streptococcus can also cause infections that occur separately from strep throat, such as impetigo and (rarely) more invasive conditions such as toxic shock syndrome or necrotizing faciitis (the so-called “flesh-eating bacteria”).
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This article was last reviewed on
January 20, 2006.
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