What is Scarlet Fever?


Scarlet fever is a bacterial disease common in people who have a strep throat and it manifests in a distinctive rash of tiny pinkish-red spots that cover the entire body. The same bacteria that causes you to have a strep throat also causes the scarlet fever. Anyone can get the disease but it is common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. Also known as scarlatina, the disease is often spread by contact with droplets from an infected person when they cough or sneeze. Even touching a surface like a plate or cup on which the droplets have landed can help spread the disease.

Scarlet Fever Rash
The rash is the most obvious symptom of scarlatina and often begins days earlier before a person feels ills. It often begins on the face and neck before eventually spreading out to the rest of the body. Areas with skin folds such as the armpits, elbows and knees will usually have a deeper red color than the surrounding skin. As the rash starts out, it may be red and blotchy but with time it turns rough like a sandpaper. When you apply pressure to the reddened skin, you’ll notice it turn pale.

Additional Scarlet Fever Symptoms
Besides the obvious sign of a rash, other accompanying symptoms of scarlet fever include very red and sore throat, fever, swollen glands in the neck, difficulty swallowing, headache, nausea and vomiting.

Scarlet Fever Treatment in Temple, Texas
Although antibiotic treatments have made scarlet fever a less threatening illness, leaving the condition untreated could result in more serious secondary conditions affecting the heart, kidney and other parts of the body. If you notice a reddish rash that is accompanied by a high fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit of higher, quickly visit the nearest local emergency room inTemple.

To get urgent care in Temple, visit Express ER where we are available 24 hours every day. Our emergency room in temple is well equipped and skilled to test and treat scarlet fever. The tests many include a physical exam, a rapid strep test and a throat swab. The treatment offered is usually the same as that for strep throat.  You will be put on antibiotics and additional treatments to contain the fever and any discomfort associated with the rash.

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