my 22 year old son saw a doctor on Tuesday for cough & sore throat. He also wanted to be tested for STDs, and gave blood & urine

The red spots on his face and torso could be eczema, sweat dermatitis, Allergic reactions to medication, cold agglutinins, or other condition.

Make sure he sees his doctor as soon as possible for a correct diagnosis.

The doctor couldn't tell him precisely why he had the red spots on his face and torso, but he thought it was an allergic reaction to the tetracycline.  He gave him a steroid injection to calm the spots and switched his antibiotics (my son's paternal grandmother is deathly allergic to penicilin).  He says he feels miles better today and the spots have flattened out and gotten lighter (yesterday they were bright red and hot to the touch).  He is still coughing a lot, but instead of a dry cough, he is coughing and spitting brownish phelgm.  Perhaps he's on the mend now.  As he's away at college in Dallas, and I'm here in Houston (about 250 miles apart), it's hard   giving him advice to get well as soon as possible when I can't see him.  I think he missed this week of school entirely and part of last week.   Thanks RxBlogger for your comment. 

Thanks for the posting.  After his doctor visit on Friday, the doctor couldn't conclude what it was caused his fever and spots.  The quick test for strep in the office was inconclusive.  He took samples for cultured lab work.  The doctor gave him a steroid shot on Friday to help calm the spots and changed his antibiotic.  Today his test results have come back from the lab, and he has strep.  He's been given another prescription.  I hope he is on the mend now.  He's missed so much college, I hate to ask him to stay home and in stay in bed, but I worry his system is weakened and he may be vulnerable.  He said he'd call back the doctor's office to ask if he should miss any more school or, since he's been on antibiotics, he can return to class.