Scarlet fever

 ICD9        = 034|

}}

"Scarlet fever" is also a term denoting the condition of having strong love or attraction to red hair.

Scarlet fever is a exotoxinmediated disease caused by Group A streptococcal infectionthat occurs most often in association with a sore throat and rarely with impetigoor other streptococcal infections. It is characterized by sore throat, fever and a rashover the upper body that may spread to cover almost the entire body. Scarlet fever is not Rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is the autoimmune disease that occurs after infection with Group A strep that causes damage to the heart valves.

History

This disease was also once known as Scarlatina. Many novels depicting life prior to the nineteenth century(see Scarlet Fever in literature below) describe scarlet fever as an acute disease being followed by many months spent in convalescence. The convalesence was probably due to complications with rheumatic fever. It was also not uncommon to destroy or burn the personal affects of a person afflicted with scarlet fever to prevent transmission to other people.

The disease was once greatly feared, and killed many thousands of people. Today, however, it is fairly easy to treat with modern antibiotics.

Scarlet fever in literature

• Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott(1868) - Beth contracts Scarlet Fever and after a long convalesence, succumbs to the illness.
• The Velveteen Rabbitby Margery Williams(1922) - The main protagonist, a small boy, contracts scarlet fever and his toys are all burned.
• By the Shores of Silver Lakeby Laura Ingalls Wilder(1939) - Prior to the start of the book, Laura's older sister Mary has been left blind by a bout with scarlet fever.

Signs and Symptoms

The disease is typically preceded by:

• fever
• fatigue
• sore throat.

• There is a characteristic rash:

• fine, red, rough-textured and blanches upon pressure
• appears 12-48 hours after the fever
• generally starts on the chest, axilla (armpits), and behind the ears
• worse in the skin folds
• Pastia lines(small linear petechiae) appear and persist after the rash is gone

• Scarlet fever also produces a bright red tongue with a "strawberry" appearance.
• The area around the mouth is usually pale (circumoral pallor)
• After about a week, the skin often desquamatesor peels, usually in the groin, axilla, and on tips of fingers and toes

Transmission

The illness is spread by the same means as strep throat.

Treatment

Other than the occurrence of the rash, the treatment and course of scarlet fever are no different from those of any strep throat.

Antibiotic treatment is necessary to prevent rheumatic fever.

Resources

• eMedicineemerg/518
• MedlinePlus Encylopedia000974

fr:Scarlatine nl:Roodvonk pl:P?onica fi:Tulirokko sv:Scharlakansfeber zh:??

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet+fever Wikipedia article Scarlet fever.