What is scarlet fever?

Scarlet fever is caused by an infection with group A streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria make a toxin (poison) that can cause the scarlet colored rash from which its illness gets its name.

Symptoms of Scarlet Fever:
A rash that begins by looking like a bad sunburn with tiny bumps that may itch. The rash ususally appears first on the neck and face, often leaving a clear unaffected area around the mouth. It spreads to the chest and back, then to the rest of the body. In body creases, especially around the underarms and elbows, the rash forms classic red streaks. Areas of the rash ususally turn white when you press on them. By the 6th day of the infection the rash usually fades, but the affected skin may begin to peel.

Other symptoms that confim the diagnosis is reddened sore throat, fever above 101, and swollen glands in the neck. The tonsils and the back of the throat may be covered with a whitish coating, or appear red and swollen, and dotted with whitish or yellow specks of pus. With antibiotic treatment, the infection itself is usually cured with a 10-day course of antibiotics, but it may take a few weeks for the tonsils and swollen glands to return to normal.

Scarlet fever is a term used for strep throat with a rash. Strep throat is a throat infection caused by a type of streptococcal bacteria.

Scarlet fever is caused by streptococcal (strep) bacteria, the same bacteria that cause strep throat. There are many different strains of strep bacteria, some of which cause more serious illness than others. The type of strep that infects the throat and causes scarlet fever is called group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABS).

Symptoms that may occur before the rash include:

Fever of 101 掳F(38.33 掳C) or higher.
Sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and tonsils.
Swollen lymph nodes

Scarlet fever is a high fever usually including a rash that excludes the face, with a strawberry tongue, and the rash with chest, arms. It can includ organs as the heart kidneys and liver creating problems.

go to:
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/scar...
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article...
www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/...