is tonsilitis contagious?

[crisgal]

I mean to people close but not kissing.

[douglas9401]

Yes!

[crisgal]

Oh dear i didn't know that. I've got a very bad case and wouldn't want my kids to get it.

[Buenchico]

To be pedantic, tonsillitis is a condition, not a disease (in the same way that a headache or stomach pain is a condition and not a disease). It's usually caused by a virus but it might also be bacterial in its origins.

Because there are a variety of causes it's impossible to say how contagious your type might be. However, unlike colds (etc), I can't ever recall hearing of tonsillitis sweeping through a family. (I suffered with recurring tonsillitis for most of my teenage years, but I can't recall my parents or friends ever catching it).

More here:
http://www.nhs.uk/Con...ges/Introduction.aspx
(Click through the tabs)

Chris

[Sqad]

Indeed it is.....whether of bacterial or viral in origin, the mucous, saliva, "snot" is heavily is heavily infected by the invading organism and can be transmitted by contact or airborne (sneezing)

Now whether the recipient would develop tonsillitis is another story.

[Eve]

I was wondering the other day as a few people have come down with a nasty case of it at work. Hope it's not a new work bug sweeping through! Had a sore throat and bad headache yesterday and was wondering but thankfully on antibiotics anyway for another infection so hopefully that might fend it off if it is!