how contagious is strep
Strep Throat Basics. Strep throat is caused by the bacteria streptococcus pyogenes. It is considered GAS, which stands for Group A Streptococcus infection, and you can be contagious for a 2- to 5-day period before you even start to experience symptoms. During this time, you will probably unwittingly share your germs with someone else.
If you are diagnosed with strep, you will stop being contagious approximately 24 hours after starting an antibiotic. Antibiotics should help alleviate your symptoms within one or two days, although in some people the symptoms may last up to a week.