Impetigo is contagious until about 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment. Without treatment, it can remain contagious for 2 to 4 weeks until the sores heal and no new lesions appear
. Specifically:
- With antibiotic treatment, people are usually no longer contagious after 24 to 48 hours
- Without treatment, impetigo can clear on its own in 2 to 4 weeks but remains contagious during that time
- It is recommended to keep children home from school or daycare until they are no longer contagious, usually 24 hours after starting antibiotics or once lesions are healing and no new sores form
In summary, impetigo is contagious until the infected sores start to heal, which typically happens within 1-2 days of antibiotic treatment but can last weeks if untreated.
