“How long is strep throat contagious for?”
My son has strep throat and now he's on antibiotics for it. I pulled him out of school but I don't want him to go back if he's still contagious. How long will he be contagious for?
3 Answers
Maira Jessica Medellin-Peña
Infectious Disease Specialist
You should be fine not being contagious after 24 hrs of proper antibiotic treatment. If you don’t seek treatment, you can be contagious for 2 to 3 weeks after contracting the infection.
Strep throat is contagious for about 2-3 weeks in individuals that do not take antibiotics. However, individuals that take antibiotics for strep throat usually are no longer contagious about 24 hours after initiating antibiotic therapy.
He is okay to go back to school after he has been on antibiotics for 24 hours.
Randall Fisher, M.D.
Randall Fisher, M.D.
