One of the most frequently asked questions regarding tonsils infection is, "is tonsillitis contagious?". But before we move towards the discussion and form a conclusion about it, let us briefly take a look on what are causes of tonsillitis.
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils, which may cause the tonsil to become enlarged, red and covered with white spots. It is usually caused by viral or bacterial infections, which may sometimes lead to further complications. The most common tonsillitis symptoms noticed are sore throat, fever, headache and other symptoms of common cold. The symptoms could be usually seen after 2-5 days of exposure.
The most common cause of tonsillitis being EBV, which also causes glandular fever or infectious mononucleosis, pertains to being highly communicable. And thus, it is transmitted easily from one person to another and is highly contagious. All forms of tonsil infections are usually spread by droplet transmission. Droplet transmission occurs normally when an infected person sneezes, coughs, drips or exhales. Hand contact and kissing can also spread the disease.
When the pathogens come in contact with your skin, mouth, nose, eyes or other mucous membranes, it can cause the infection. If strep bacteria causes the infection, it can remain contagious for up to 2 weeks without treatment. However, antibiotics can shorten the contagious period and limits to about 24 to 48 hours once the therapy starts.
If the infection remains contagious, then it can lead to other complications such as infection of the middle ear, which may result to complications of the kidney or the heart.
This infection is more prone to children, so make sure to keep your children away from the infected child for a couple of days at least. Though a baby may not catch tonsillitis, but it may set off another respiratory infection as babies have a weak immune system. Also, make sure to keep your sick child’s drinking glass and eating utensils separate. All members of the family should wash their hands frequently as a preventive measure.
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