Positive strep while on antibiotics?

[rennegtl]

We've been seeing a dr for possible PANDAS. He put us on a prophylactic antibiotic (cephalexin) about 5 weeks ago. We've seen some improvements in my son's behavior for about 3 weeks. This week my 6 y/o started c/o ear aches and stomach aches and requested to go to dr today. I took him to a clinic and they did strep test which came back positive but the line was a super faint pink. They are going to send it off for a culture. I'm just curious if this is a false positive since he's been on antibiotics or if other people have had positive streps when their child is on antibiotics? My pediatrician in the past said that strep tests can pick up "dead strep cells". Just curious if other people have had this? Thanks!

[searching_for_help]

Our daughter tested positive for strep on 4 different antibiotics. The nurse practitioner was baffled, and didn't seem to want to deal with us after that! I never could get a clear answer from anyone whether she is a carrier, or just not clearing it. The docs/NP's we've dealt with really didn't seem to know that much about it. It's frustrating!

[JoyBop]

I think you can get a class negative but not a false positive. It took us more than 6 weeks to get rid of our strep infection on abx. Also you mentioned preventative antibiotics, not therapeutic. Do you mean you had her on a low dose ? As far as the "dead strep cells" the test is looking for antigens or pieces if bacteria. You might get a faint positve if there were remnants of strep cells that say were killed that day or the day before, but not much farther outside that. A culture is really your best bet but sounds like the infection isn't cured yet.

[cobbiemommy]

My son has been positive while on prophylactic abx. He just tested positive for impetigo (strep) while taking 500 mg daily of Keflex.