Scarlet Fever
Mary D. Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP
Mary D. Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Michigan State University. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt Medical School, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Indiana University.
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
- Scarlet fever facts
- What is scarlet fever?
- What is the history of scarlet fever?
- What causes scarlet fever?
- What are scarlet fever symptoms and signs?
- How long is scarlet fever contagious?
- How is scarlet fever diagnosed?
- What is the treatment for scarlet fever?
- Can scarlet fever be prevented?
- What is the prognosis for scarlet fever?
- Find a local Doctor in your town
Scarlet fever facts
- Scarlet fever is caused by bacteria known as group A streptococci (GAS).
- The infection usually starts with a sore throat and fever, followed within 48 hours by a rash. Less commonly, the infection starts as a wound infection.
- The rash starts on the trunk and spreads to the arms and legs. It looks like a sunburn, but it feels rough like sandpaper. The rash may be redder in skin folds. As the rash starts to go away, the skin may peel.
- Tongue changes are common during the disease ("strawberry tongue"). The tongue may first appear white with red bumps and then turn beefy red.
- Scarlet fever is diagnosed by examination of the rash and swabbing the throat to look for GAS. Blood tests may be done in some cases.
- The disease is treated with rest, fluids, and antibiotics.
- Scarlet fever responds well to treatment and the disease resolves completely in most people. Complications are rare but may occur when the bacteria spread to the bloodstream, bone, or tissues.
- People with scarlet fever should cover their coughs, wash hands frequently, and not share utensils. They should not go to school or work until they have been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours.
What is scarlet fever?
Scarlet fever is an infectious disease caused by bacteria known as group A Streptococcus (GAS). GAS causes many other infections, but the strain of GAS bacteria that causes scarlet fever is different because it produces a toxin. The toxin causes the characteristic red skin rash for which scarlet fever is known. Scarlet fever is more common in children (ages 4-8) than adults. The infection often starts in the throat and has the symptoms of a typical strep throat but goes on to produce the skin rash. Scarlet fever is usually mild and resolves with antibiotic treatment. However, a small proportion of people experience very severe disease that may include bacterial invasion into the bloodstream (sepsis), tissues, or bone. Severe disease was more common before the discovery of antibiotics.
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