Scarlet fever See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About scarlet fever 2. Symptoms of scarlet fever 3. Treating scarlet fever 4. Complications of scarlet fever. About scarlet fever Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness that mainly affects children. Scarlet fever symptoms Scarlet fever usually follows a sore throat or a skin infection, such as impetigo , caused by particular strains of streptococcus bacteria. When to seek medical advice Scarlet fever usually clears up after about a week, but if you think you or your child may have it, see your GP for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
How scarlet fever spreads Scarlet fever is very contagious and can be caught by: breathing in bacteria in airborne droplets from an infected person's coughs and sneezes touching the skin of a person with a streptococcal skin infection, such as impetigo sharing contaminated towels, baths, clothes or bed linen It can also be caught from carriers — people who have the bacteria in their throat or on their skin but don't have any symptoms. It's possible to catch scarlet fever more than once, but this is rare.
Treating scarlet fever Scarlet fever used to be a very serious illness, but nowadays most cases tend to be mild. Without antibiotic treatment, your child will be infectious for weeks after symptoms appear. Complications of scarlet fever With the right treatment, further problems are unlikely.
Avoid sharing contaminated utensils, cups and glasses, clothes, baths, bed linen or towels. Symptoms of scarlet fever The symptoms of scarlet fever usually take two to five days to appear after infection.
Rash Red blotches are the first sign of the rash. In milder cases, sometimes called scarlatina, the rash may be the only symptom. Other symptoms Other symptoms may include: swollen neck glands loss of appetite nausea or vomiting red lines in the folds of the body, such as the armpit, which may last a couple of days after the rash has gone a white coating on the tongue, which peels a few days later leaving the tongue red and swollen this is known as strawberry tongue a general feeling of being unwell When to seek medical advice See your GP as soon as possible if you think you or your child has scarlet fever.
Treating scarlet fever Most cases of scarlet fever clear up after about a week without treatment. Without treatment, you'll be contagious for one to two weeks after symptoms appear. Antibiotics Scarlet fever is usually treated with a day course of antibiotics.
Self care Many of the symptoms of scarlet fever can be relieved using some simple self care measures, such as: drinking plenty of cool fluids eating soft foods if your throat is painful taking paracetamol to bring down a high temperature using calamine lotion or antihistamine tablets to relieve itching.
Complications of scarlet fever Most cases of scarlet fever don't cause complications, particularly if the condition is properly treated. In the early stages, there's a small risk of: an ear infection a throat abscess painful collection of pus sinusitis inflammation of the sinuses pneumonia inflammation of the lungs Very rare complications that can occur at a later stage include: rheumatic fever, which can cause joint pain, chest pain and shortness of breath glomerulonephritis damage to the tiny filters inside the kidneys liver damage osteomyelitis infection of the bone blood poisoning necrotising fasciitis a flesh-eating disease toxic shock syndrome a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection You may have one of these rare complications if you're very unwell, in severe pain and have a severe headache , vomiting or diarrhoea.
Tweet Click here to share this page on Twitter This will open a new window. Print Click here to print this page This will open your print options in a new window. Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window. Last updated:. How can we improve this page? Email Address e. Message Maximum of characters. Send feedback. Also on NHS inform. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , the drugs of choice for treating scarlet fever are broad-spectrum antibiotics medications that work against a wide range of bacteria , such as penicillin and amoxicillin.
For someone who's allergic to penicillin, narrow-spectrum cephalosporins typically are safe options. Some examples of these medications are Keflex cephalexin , cefadroxil which is only sold as a generic drug , Cleocin clindamycin , Zithromax azithromycin , and Biaxin clarithromycin. After two to three days of antibiotic treatment, most of the symptoms of scarlet fever are likely to resolve, although the rash may linger for some time.
If non-rash symptoms don't go away, it may be a good idea to let your healthcare provider know. In any case, it's important to complete the entire course of antibiotics for scarlet fever, like any other illness for which you are prescribed these drugs.
It's common to feel better rather quickly after starting them, but that doesn't mean that the bacteria that made you sick is gone. Stopping a course of antibiotics early can increase the risk of further complications from any bacterial infection.
In the case of scarlet fever and other illnesses caused by group A strep , these can range from secondary infections of structures near the throat, such as the tonsils or ears. Although uncommon, two potentially serious conditions have been associated with scarlet fever: One is rheumatic fever , an inflammatory disease that can cause permanent heart damage.
The other, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis PSGN , also is an inflammatory illness. It affects the kidneys. Relieving the symptoms of scarlet fever is key to helping someone feel more comfortable during their illness. Tending to discomfort— a nasty sore throat, headache, itchy rash—may even help to speed recovery by making it easier for a patient to get enough sleep and rest. Sore Throat Relief. You can experiment with these options to find the ones that bring the most relief:. Soothing Itchy Skin.
Soaking in a warm oatmeal bath can help ease itchy, irritated skin. You can purchase pre-packaged oatmeal bath products or make your own: Churn regular oatmeal in a food processor until it's powdery and add half a cup to bathwater. Keep the fingernails of young children who are tempted to scratch short and clean to avoid damaging skin. You can find relief from symptoms like a headache, fever, and throat pain in your medicine cabinet, drugstore, or supermarket.
OTC medications such as Tylenol acetaminophen and Advil and Motrin ibuprofen can help bring down a fever as well as relieve body aches and pains. If you're giving an NSAID to a child, make sure to measure out a dose that's appropriate for her age and her weight. You'll find guidelines on the package label, but if you aren't sure what's safe, check with your pediatrician. Do not give a child under the age of 19 aspirin or any OTC product that contains aspirin.
The drug has been linked to a serious disease called Reye's syndrome , which causes swelling of the brain and liver. Throat-Numbing Products. Adults and children over 12 can use sprays containing ingredients that temporarily numb the throat.
They can be especially effective because the spray can be targeted to exact area that's experiencing pain. One such sore throat spray, Chloraseptic phenol , comes in a variety of flavors, including cherry, wild berry, citrus, and honey lemon. To use a sore throat spray, spritz the area five times allow the medicine to sit for at least 15 seconds, and then spit it out. The numbing effect should last for a couple of hours.
As with any contagious illness, prevention involves protecting yourself and those you care for from being infected when people around you have the infection, as well as taking measures to prevent the spread of the illness if you or loved ones become ill.
If you know that scarlet fever is going around perhaps a classmate of one of your children has been sick , proper and frequent hand washing is essential. Remind your kids to wash often while at school, and make it a house rule that everyone scrubs up as soon as they come home and before they start touching surfaces in the house.
If you or someone in your household becomes ill with scarlet fever, it's important to know that group A strep bacteria spread easily through the air by hitchhiking on droplets of liquid contained in sneezes and coughs.
One or two days after the illness begins, a red rash usually appears. However, the rash can appear before illness or up to 7 days later. The rash may first appear on the neck, underarm, and groin the area where your stomach meets your thighs.
Over time, the rash spreads over the body. The rash usually begins as small, flat blotches that slowly become fine bumps that feel like sandpaper. Although the cheeks might look flushed rosy , there may be a pale area around the mouth. Underarm, elbow, and groin skin creases may become brighter red than the rest of the rash. The rash from scarlet fever fades in about 7 days. As the rash fades, the skin may peel around the fingertips, toes, and groin area.
This peeling can last up to several weeks. Anyone can get scarlet fever, but there are some factors that can increase the risk of getting this infection. Scarlet fever, like strep throat , is more common in children than adults. It is most common in children 5 through 15 years old. It is rare in children younger than 3 years old. Adults who are at increased risk for scarlet fever include:.
Close contact with another person with scarlet fever is the most common risk factor for illness. For example, if someone has scarlet fever, it often spreads to other people in their household.
Infectious illnesses tend to spread wherever large groups of people gather together. Crowded conditions can increase the risk of getting a group A strep infection. These settings include:. Many viruses and bacteria can cause an illness that includes a red rash and sore throat.
Only a rapid strep test or a throat culture can determine if group A strep are the cause. A rapid strep test involves swabbing the throat and testing the swab. The test quickly shows if group A strep are causing the illness.
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