I get strep at least twice a yr, every yr since I was around 14 and Im now 62. i try not to ever take antibiotics - mostly over the yrs Ive only taken them thru a dentist to remove infection from a tooth before I can have it worked on. At 14 I got so sick they wanted to take my tonsils out and I faked my mom out by drinking a glass of dill pickle juice (she said if I could stand to swallow sour juice like that my throat wasnt as bad as the dr said!) I never had my tonsils out and somewhere I heard/read they are a strep magnate. Pply an old wives tale, but I still get so sick.
Now, not to be alarming, but I think I got that super bug (mersa?) this last winter. No one was home (hubs and brother work away), I went to the grocery and walking thru the store I could feel a cold sore growing just beneath my rite side lip. By the time I got home there was a red spot the size of a bee sting there, and hurt like heck. I used everything in the house and otc on it, got super sick and then it started to eat into my face. I cant remember what I finally did, looked up something online, but not before it ate thru to the meat in my face and now I have a divet there (it scarred over to heal) the size of a penny.
my best advice is: when there is something going around, keep away from crowds, wash wash wash hands, and never ever touch your face - all very hard for any kid to do. As far as being a carrier, Typhoid Mary was a carrier - I think usually a carrier is someone who can pass an illness and not get sick from it sharet