[whole wheat]

I seem to be susceptible to strep throat for some reason. Colds and viruses usually pass me by. But not so with strep. Anyway, could I be getting it through the milk I drink? Last winter I drank only organic. This year I switched back to regular. As it was getting harder and harder to find organic. I only catch it during the winter months. Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[runnerveggie]

No, it's highly unlikely (and perhaps completely impossible, unless it is raw, unpasteurized milk). You get strep from other people.

 

[GreenMommaCow]

Yeah I've never heard of someone getting strep from milk

 

[Rachel Bonneau]

I think strep's contagious for a few days before it shows up as a cough - or until you're on antibiotics, I forget which - so that's probably how you're getting it, from infected people not yet on antibiotics being out in public. (ooh, that sounds absolutely zombie-ish.)

also, if someone's never had it before, scarlet fever is a precursor, so they might not realize it's even strep and might think it's just some sort of cold. I had that when I was three, according to my mom, but when my brother caught it for the first time there was about a week reprieve from the fever to the actual symptoms of strep. just a thought.

sorry you catch it so much.

 

[Chem1990]

I would say it's very unlikely it was milk related. Strep comes more from people coughing and sneezing and you happened to be within that range of transmission (which is surprizingly far). The only possible way I could see it happening is if the milk had already been contaminated and was poorly pasteurized or after being pasteurized, some one contaminated it through handling. If anything milk should be more watched out for lactobacilli, E coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. Chances are you caught it from some one and the milk factor is coincidence. I mean consider anything else you've done prior to exposure and they could be as equally as plausible of causes.

 

[Scorpius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachel Bonneau

I think strep's contagious for a few days before it shows up as a cough - or until you're on antibiotics, I forget which - so that's probably how you're getting it, from infected people not yet on antibiotics being out in public. (ooh, that sounds absolutely zombie-ish.)

also, if someone's never had it before, scarlet fever is a precursor, so they might not realize it's even strep and might think it's just some sort of cold. I had that when I was three, according to my mom, but when my brother caught it for the first time there was about a week reprieve from the fever to the actual symptoms of strep. just a thought.

sorry you catch it so much.

Scarlet fever is a severe case of strep throat, NOT a precursor. I had it when I was younger. I was being treated for a bad strep infection and I also happened to have a rash on my face and torso (Scarlet fever).

I've since gotten strep a few times after that without the scarlet fever.

 

[SuicideBlonde]

Doubt it is milk. I am the same, if anyone has it in the slightest I get it very bad.

 

[Rachel Bonneau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scorpius

Scarlet fever is a severe case of strep throat, NOT a precursor. I had it when I was younger. I was being treated for a bad strep infection and I also happened to have a rash on my face and torso (Scarlet fever).

I've since gotten strep a few times after that without the scarlet fever.

really? I was always told it was a precursor to the first case. interesting. good to know then, in case any kids in the family catch it, so I know to bring them in instead of waiting it out. thanks for that.

is it not a one-time thing, then, like chicken pox, or was that part of it correct? (I want to make sure my mother knows too, since she has my nephews during the week while my brother's at work.)

 

[Floridaisa]

nope, def not the milk.
ive had it twice. i don't wish it on anyone. so painful...
anyway, i kept getting it from someone i worked with. he would come back before he was 100%, pass it to me. id come back before i was all well. you get the pic.
you def got it from someone. ugh

 

[ecl23]

Yeahhhh, I highly doubt you get strep throat from milk.

You can get it from contact with those who are infected with strep throat --through kissing, sharing utensils, toothbrush (yuck)-- any salival fluids that have touched anything and then it came in contact with you.

Strep throat can easily be relieved with lots of rest, fluid, and penecillin (prescribed by your doc)

 

[Scorpius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachel Bonneau

really? I was always told it was a precursor to the first case. interesting. good to know then, in case any kids in the family catch it, so I know to bring them in instead of waiting it out. thanks for that.

is it not a one-time thing, then, like chicken pox, or was that part of it correct? (I want to make sure my mother knows too, since she has my nephews during the week while my brother's at work.)

Scarlet fever is considered a complication of strep throat. According to the University of Wikipedia (

), an exotoxin produced by the same bacterium that causes strep throat leads to Scarlet Fever. So, IF you get strep, it COULD escalate into Scarlet Fever, which is very much curable with antibiotics.

I don't see why it is something you could only get once (like chicken pox), but I only had it once while I had strep throat probably half a dozen times before I was 18 years old.
I haven't had either since!

E.T.A: About waiting it out....the last time I had strep (when I was 18, I was finishing up my freshman year in college) I thought I could 'wait it out' and didn't call my doctor for weeks after getting a sore throat. By the time I was at the doctor's being seen, I could hardly move my neck I was in so much pain (swollen lymph nodes....no fun!). I was on antibiotics and Tylenol with codeine.....knocking me on my ass for a good week and a half.
Moral of the story: Don't try to be a 'tough guy' and wait it out like I did!!

 

[whole wheat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecl23

Strep throat can easily be relieved with lots of rest, fluid, and penicillin (prescribed by your doc)

Yep, that's what I'm doing right now.

 

[whole wheat]

Thank you all! I'm glad it's probably not the milk. As I love to drink it!

 

[Bluejeans84]

Before I was vegan, my non-vegan friend told me about how milk can get you strep throat. May very well be it. (Coming from an unbiased standpoint, using what my friend said and experience).

 

[smob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scorpius

Scarlet fever is a severe case of strep throat, NOT a precursor. I had it when I was younger. I was being treated for a bad strep infection and I also happened to have a rash on my face and torso (Scarlet fever).

I've since gotten strep a few times after that without the scarlet fever.

Agreed; I've had it before too with really bad strep infections and it always came after the initial acute strep infection in the throat. It never hit me at exactly the same time, but the scarlet fever always came after.

Agree with the others that you didn't pick up the strep from milk. Highly highly highly highly highly unlikely.

 

[Floridaisa]

hope you're feeling better.