Could Your Child Be a Carrier of Strep Throat?

We all have heard of the virus Strep, especially Strep throat. Most of us have even had it a few times. Strep throat is an infection that generally causes a red, swollen and sore throat, fever, white coating of pus over the tonsils, swelling in the lymph nodes, decreased appetite and energy. But did you know that certain people can be Strep carriers?

What is a Strep carrier?

First this is not an alarming issue and it is may be more common than you realized. About ten to twenty percent of us are Strep throat carriers. To be a carrier bacteria would have to live in the back of your throat, even when you don't have an infection. Therefore whenever a carrier is tested for Strep throat the test is going to come out as positive. This means carriers need to be careful about taking antibiotics when they are not really necessary. They should only take antibiotics when they are showing true signs of having strep, when they have the fever and the pain and swelling.

Can strep carriers actually spread the Strep virus? Usually, no. Although you will find some conflicting answers to this question.

When you are a carrier of Strep (streptococus pyogenes) you always have this form of bacteria living in the back of your throat. The best time for your doctor to check for this bacteria is when you are not sick. If it tested during a time you are feeling sick you may test positive because the bacteria is always alive in the back of your throat or it may test positive because you are actually sick, have been sick or are getting over the virus. It can be hard to tell the difference. And yes, a healthy adult may become infected with Strep as often as once a year for several years. Yet, this healthy adult may not be a carrier for Strep. This adult has just been infected with the virus, itself.

Of course, it wouldn't hurt to take some extra precautions if you are a carrier and you are around someone with an immune deficiency or with rheumatic fever. By taking extra precautions, this just means covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing, not talking too close to this person, normal everyday things you should do anywhere out of decency.

Should you check to see if your a carrier or if your child is? No, it isn't really necessary. Being a carrier really causes no harm and will probably just worry most people. Checking would also be an extra unneeded medical expense and time wasted. Plus, you should not rush out and start on a trial of antibiotics if you find out you are a carrier of Strep and you are not sick. Remember too many antibiotics are not healthy. They can actually be harmful down the road to us. We can form a resistance to antibiotics and that is something we don't want to regret later in life if and when we really become sick.