Scarlet fever
| Scarlet fever | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | scarlatina, scarletina |
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| Strawberry tongue seen in scarlet fever | |
| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | Infectious disease |
| ICD-10 | A38 |
| ICD-9-CM | 034.1 |
| OMIM | 012541 |
| DiseasesDB | 29032 |
| Patient UK | Scarlet fever |
Scarlet fever can occur as a result of a . The signs and symptoms include a sore throat, fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic rash. The rash is red and feels like sandpaper and the tongue may be red and bumpy. It most commonly affects children between five and fifteen years of age.
Scarlet fever affects a small number of people who have either strep throat or . The bacteria are usually spread by people coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread when a person touches an object that has the bacteria on it and then touches their mouth or nose. The characteristic rash is due to the erythrogenic toxin, a substance produced by some types of the bacterium. The diagnosis is typically confirmed by culturing the throat.
There is no vaccine. Prevention is by frequent handwashing, not sharing personal items, and staying away from other people when sick. The disease is treatable with antibiotics which prevents most complications. Outcomes with scarlet fever are typically good. Long-term complications as a result of scarlet fever include: kidney disease, rheumatic heart disease, and arthritis. It was a leading cause of death in children in the early 20th century.
Scarlet fever is characterized by:
The rash is the most striking sign of scarlet fever. It usually appears first on the neck and face (often leaving a clear, unaffected area around the mouth). It looks like a bad sunburn with tiny bumps, and it may itch. It then spreads to the chest and back and finally to the rest of the body. In the body creases, especially around the underarms and elbows, the rash forms the classic red streaks known as Pastia's lines. On very dark skin, the streaks may appear darker than the rest of the skin. Areas of rash usually turn white (or paler brown, with dark complexioned skin) when pressed on. By the sixth day of the infection, the rash usually fades, but the affected skin may begin to peel.
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Wikipedia