ScarletFever

Scarlet Fever or Scarlatina

Mode of Transmission & Symptoms:

     Scarlet Fever caused by the same Group A Streptococcus that causes Strep. Throat.
     It produces an erythrogenic toxin into the body that causes a rash. It almost always begins on the face, neck, and upper chest. In more severe cases, it then spreads to the trunk and arms.
     It starts as a diffuse reddish blush, with no discrete spots, and the reddish skin feels rough to the touch.
The most characteristic manifestations of the rash are:
1. circumoral (around the mouth) pallor surrounded by a flushed face
2. a strawberry tongue
3. dark red lines in the creases of the skin folds called Pastia�s lines.

The child may or may not feel sick, depending on the severity of the disease.

The incubation period: 1 to 3 days.

The period of infectivity:
     From one day before fever to the cure with antibiotics, or one week after the onset of the rash.
     Your child must stay home until the rash is gone - they are contagious for 4 to 6 days after the onset of the fever and until the rash is gone.

Treatment:
     Scarlet Fever must be treated with antibiotics, (also see "Treatment" section under Strep. Throat above.)

Complications:
     Scarlet Fever can be mistaken for red measles, which is a serious mistake because treatment is completely different. Untreated Scarlet Fever can result in serious kidney or heart disease. Please see your doctor immediately if you suspect Scarlet Fever.

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the man on the left is Louis Pasteur and the woman on the right is Marie Curie

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