A member asked:

Hello. i have a lot of white stuff on the back of my throat. doctor told me not strep and may be viral. doesn't white mean bacterial infection?

2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Dr. Joel Gallant answered

Specializes in Infectious Disease

No: You can't tell the difference between a strep throat and a viral sore throat by looking. You have to do the test.

Answered 10/11/2013

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Not necessarily: Your doctor came to your diagnosis after considering your entire clinical picture, not just presence (or absence) of white stuff.

Answered 3/16/2017

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