Rash with scarlet fever: photo, treatment, disease prevention

Is there always a rash in scarlet fever, how to treat this unpleasant disease and what are its characteristics? These and other questions concerning the mentioned disease we will answer below.

Basic information about infectious disease

The causative agent of scarlet fever is a hemolytic streptococcus belonging to group A. It causes an infectious disease that manifests itself in the form of fever and general intoxication. Also, almost always there is a rash in scarlet fever. It should be specially noted that the main clinical manifestations of this disease are caused not by streptococcus itself, but by a toxin released into the blood. The source of spread of this infection is a person. Infect such a disease can be pretty quickly.

Features of the infectious disease

The causative agent of scarlet fever, which affects a person, often provokes the appearance of sore throat or streptococcal pharyngitis. Such a patient is especially dangerous for people around him in the first days of illness. A person who successfully recovered after the disease in question is called a convalescent person. It should be remembered that for some time he is capable of secreting streptococcal infection. Usually, this carrier lasts up to three weeks. During this period, any contact with the surrounding people should be minimized as much as possible.

A healthy carrier is a person who does not have any symptoms of the disease, but group A streptococci live on the mucosa of his mouth and nasopharynx and are released into the surrounding atmosphere. It should be noted that there are a lot of such people (about 15% of the total population of the Earth).

What are the causes of the disease?

The vaccination against scarlet fever effectively protects a person against infection with streptococcal infection. By the way, except for people with scarlet fever, the source of such a disease is banal angina or any other carrier of streptococcus. As a rule, infection with this disease occurs by airborne droplets. Sometimes a person develops scarlet fever through a household contact (for example, through the toys of the patient, his household items, etc.).

It should also be noted that infection with this infection can occur through any lesions on the skin (for example, abrasions, cuts, during surgery, etc.). In this case, the patient may have a rash in scarlet fever, as well as other symptoms of the disease, except for sore throat.

The main signs of the disease

The vaccination against scarlet fever protects a person well, but, unfortunately, not everyone does such injections. When the infection is treated, its incubation period lasts about 1-12 days. For this disease is characterized by a rather sharp beginning. The patient's body temperature almost immediately rises to 39 degrees. In this case, he has unpleasant sensations in the throat when swallowing, noticeable weakness and headaches.

At personal examination of the oropharynx of the patient, the physician discovers a classic clinical picture of angina. By the end of the first day of the disease, a pointed and rather abundant rash appears in the upper part of the trunk and on the neck. With scarlet fever, this irritation occurs very often. It is a group of rashes that protrude above the level of the skin and, merging with each other, form red spots 1-1.8 mm in size. On the body of the patient such unpleasant irritation spreads very quickly.

The localization of the rash with scarlet fever is different. However, it is most intense in the armpits, as well as in the area of the elbow folds and skin folds. Quite often, such irritation on the skin is accompanied by an intolerable itch. The character of the rash with scarlet fever is plentiful, dotted. As a rule, this irritation lasts 2-3 days, and then gradually disappears.

Other symptoms of scarlet fever

What other symptoms are characteristic of such a disease as scarlet fever (the photo is presented in this article)? According to experts, the face of an infected person begins to "burn", but around the mouth and nose (nasolabial triangle) remains pale, with intact skin. Under the influence of toxins, the patient's tongue becomes saturated red, and also covered with protruding papillae.

The temperature of the human body remains elevated about 2-4 days, after which it gradually falls. From the 5th-6th day of the disease, an intense peeling occurs on the site of the rash, which lasts for 2-3 weeks. Scarlet fever (photos of patients you can see below) is diagnosed very easily. Usually, the doctor diagnoses at home, relying on the clinical picture of the disease.

Can complications arise in the absence of treatment?

Scarlet fever without a rash can take place. In this case, the disease is more severe. As a rule, it manifests itself in the development of necrotizing angina, and is also accompanied by early purulent complications.

According to experts, the complications of scarlet fever are divided into 2 groups: early and late. The first are associated with the infectious infection of neighboring tissues. In this case, otitis, sinusitis, and the like can develop. As for late complications, they are caused by the development of immune disorders such as glomerulonephritis, rheumatism and others. By the way, the most severe and dangerous late allergic complications of scarlet fever occur when the disease is treated incorrectly.

How to deal with pathology?

Most often, scarlet fever is administered at home. Hospitalization is subject only to those patients who have moderate and severe forms of the disease. In addition, patients who have children from 3 months to 7 years old, as well as schoolchildren of the first two classes who have not had scarlet fever, are sent to the hospital.

To eliminate the symptoms of this infectious disease, doctors usually prescribe antibacterial therapy using penicillin drugs. Such intensive treatment is continued for 5-7 days. In the event that the patient does not tolerate penicillin, other antibiotics are used.

What should the patient do?

When observing all the symptoms of scarlet fever, the patient should immediately call a doctor. After the diagnosis the doctor will prescribe antibacterial therapy. In this case, the patient should strictly adhere to all of his recommendations. Otherwise, he can have quite serious complications.

In addition to taking antibiotics, the patient is required to comply with bed rest. Do this until the body temperature is completely reduced. Also, the patient is shown abundant drink in order to prevent toxic complications. The food of a patient who has been infected with scarlet fever should be semi-liquid or liquid. He also needs to limit protein intake.

Prevention of disease in children and adults

As mentioned above, the infectious disease under consideration can be transmitted to a healthy person by airborne droplets, as well as through household items. Therefore, the patient with scarlet fever should be necessarily isolated in a separate room. Such patient should allocate own means of personal hygiene, including a towel. Also, they give him a separate tableware. Experts argue that isolation of the patient can be stopped immediately after his recovery, but not earlier than ten days after the onset of the disease.

Children who have had scarlet fever are allowed to visit the first two classes of schools and kindergartens only after their additional isolation at home for 12 days after recovery. As for babies who did not suffer from scarlet fever, but were in contact with the infected, they are not allowed into the team for 7 days from the time of isolation of the patient. By the way, with direct communication with the patient during the progression of his illness, this period should be 17 days from the beginning of the first contact.