Scarlet fever: from the first symptoms to the cure
Scarlet fever is an exanthematous disease. That is, it is part of those diseases such as chicken pox and measles (typical of children) that produce an exanthema, a skin rash. In particular, scarlet fever is the only exanthematous disease not caused by viruses but by a bacterium, group A beta hemolytic streptococcus. It is the same type of bacteria that causes pharyngontonsillitis, an inflammation of the throat usually accompanied by a high fever, swollen glands and pain when swallowing. Scarlet fever is an acute infectious disease that causes red spots or patches on the skin of the whole body along with fever, sore throat, abdominal pain, tachycardia and headache and requires antibiotic therapy and plenty of rest at home.
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How the contagion happens
You can get sick with scarlet fever by inhaling droplets of saliva emitted by an infected person with coughs or sneezing, or with the infection it is also possible with contact with objects or food touched by an infected person and contaminated by the bacterium. There is still no vaccine against scarlet fever and to avoid taking it you can only adopt a series of precautions and hygiene rules such as washing well everything that touches a scarlet fever patient do not share kitchen utensils or food with infected people and wash well and often the hands especially before eating.
After the infection: incubation
By incubation period we mean the time period from the moment of contagion until the first symptoms appear. In the case of scarlet fever, incubation usually lasts between 2 and 5 days but in some cases it can last even longer (up to 7 days) or less (even a single day). During incubation, the infected subject is infected and contagious as it is after and for the entire duration of the disease unless adequate antibiotic therapy is performed.
Treatment with the antibiotic clears the level of contagiousness already in 24 hours or at most in 48 hours. Scarlet fever does not give permanent immunity: after getting sick once you can get sick also other times in the course of life because there are so many different strains.
Scarlet fever: all symptoms
The first symptoms that distinguish scarlet fever are sore throat and high fever (38-40 ° C). The next day the skin rash appears, also called scarlet fever rash. It is a very characteristic skin rash, formed by dense red dots, the papules, very close together. The skin feels like sandpaper to the touch. The rash appears in the groin in the armpits and then begins to cover the entire body, trunk, arms and legs, avoiding the contours of the mouth, hands and feet. An unequivocal indication of scarlet fever is provided by the observation of the patient's tongue: in the first days, in fact, a characteristic whitish spot called white strawberry appears on the tongue, which subsequently becomes red (and takes the name of red strawberry). After about 7 days, the rash disappears and the skin peels off. The peeling phase lasts at least 7 days and is often accompanied by intense itching. After this phase, the patient's skin appears for several days as if it were affected by sunburn.
Children 3-10 years: the most at risk
Scarlet fever, like many other exanthematous diseases, mainly affects children, both boys and girls, especially between 3 and 10 years old. This is explained because in that age group the immune system of children is still immature and group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus is able to take over. Individuals of any age, including infants and adults, can be affected by scarlet fever. Getting scarlet fever as an adult is rare but not impossible. An adult who falls ill with scarlet fever will reveal the same symptoms as children, first severe sore throat, difficulty swallowing and fever up to 39 ° -40 ° then red patches, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, headache and abdominal pain.
Scarlet fever is perfectly cured with amoxicillin. 7/8 days and your baby will find the smile again!
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What if scarlet fever comes in pregnancy?
If you contracted scarlet fever during pregnancy, your doctor will prescribe a safe and effective antibiotic that damages neither you nor the fetus (amoxicillin).
How to cure
In case of scarlet fever, antibiotic treatment is essential. The doctor will prescribe the administration of the antibiotic for at least 10 days. If possible, opt for absolute rest until the fever subsides. The isolation of the patient is also important, especially during the contagious phase. Two days after starting the antibiotic, the child can already go back to class. Against sore throat and fever it is possible to take antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs. In these cases, it is advisable to drink a lot of water and eat soft, non-spicy foods. Sometimes scarlet fever occurs in children or adults in a particularly mild form, without fever. It is an attenuated form, called scarlet fever, which makes the diagnosis more complex.
How is the diagnosis made
If the pediatrician has doubts about the presence or absence of scarlet fever, he performs a throat swab for the SBEA, using the tongue depressor. There is also a very quick and practical test, very effective, capable of giving an answer after a few minutes.
Swabing a child who has been in contact with a patient but has no symptoms is useless: this bacterium can be found in the throat of adults and children with healthy carriers. These people can hardly infect others.
The rare complications
This bacterium in very rare cases can lead to kidney or heart damage and like any infection caused by streptococci it can lead to complications of skin, joints or other infections (otitis, pneumonia).
