Does anyone know anything about scarlet fever?

The Dr. gave me the antibiotic, avelox, for a sinus infection. I took the 1st pill wed. night. I woke up with a small red bumpy rash on my stomach. I took the 2nd pill Thurs. night and woke up Fri. covered in a red bumpy rash and hives. The rash was everywhere except my face, and the hives were only on my stomach which is where the rash was the worst. I took Benadryl and called the Dr. When I went in the Dr. said I have Scarlet fever. I never had a sore throat or fever, just head congestion and pressure. The Benadryl also helped tremendously. She changed my antibiotic "just in case" but she really thinks it's scarlet fever. I hate to disagree with the Dr. but I really think I'm allergic to that. She said she doesn't want me to be allergic because that's such a big family of antibiotics. Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions? Thank You!!

What is scarlet fever?
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by a bacteria called group A streptococcus, the same bacteria that causes strep throat. Scarlet fever is a rash that sometimes occurs in people that have strep throat. The rash of scarlet fever is usually seen in children under the age of 18.

How do you get scarlet fever?
This illness can be caught from other people if you come in contact with the sick person because this germ is carried in the mouth and nasal fluids. If you touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching something that has these fluids on them, you may become ill. Also, if you drink from the same glass or eat from the same plate as the sick person, you could also become ill. The best way to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands often and avoid sharing eating utensils.

What are the symptoms of scarlet fever?
The most common symptoms of scarlet fever are:

A rash first appears as tiny red bumps on the chest and abdomen. This rash may then spread all over the body. It looks like a sunburn and feels like a rough piece of sandpaper. It is usually redder in the arm pits and groin areas. The rash lasts about 2-5 days. After the rash is gone, often the skin on the tips of the fingers and toes begins to peel.
The face is flushed with a pale area around the lips.
The throat is very red and sore. It can have white or yellow patches.
A fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) or higher is common. Chills are often seen with the fever.
Glands in the neck are often swollen.
A whitish coating can appear on the surface of the tongue. The tongue itself looks like a strawberry because the normal bumps on the tongue look bigger.

Other less common symptoms include:

Nausea and vomiting
Headache
Body aches

How is scarlet fever diagnosed?
Your doctor or health care provider will examine your child and swab the back of the throat with a cotton swab to see if there is a streptococcus infection.

What is the treatment for scarlet fever?
If the swab test (throat culture) shows that there is streptococcus, you will be given an antibiotic prescription for your child. Give this medicine exactly as you are told. It is very important to finish all of the medicine. Never share any of this medicine with family or friends. Ask your doctor or health care provider about over-the-counter medicine to lessen sore throat pain.

Is there anything else I can do to make patient better?
Warm liquids like soup or cold foods like popsicles or milkshakes help to ease the pain of the sore throat. Offer these to your child often, especially when he/she has a fever since the body needs a lot of fluid when it is sick with a fever. A cool mist humidifier will help to keep the air in your child's room moist which will keep the throat from getting too dry and more sore. Rest is important.


'HOPE THIS HELPS! GET WELL SOON AND HAVE PLENTY OF REST.

just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to respond, they were all great answers. Report It

Sorry i dont know much about it but this website pretty much explains it, hope this helps and you get better soon. :)

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infecti...

I think your doctor is wrong and what you had was an allergic reaction to the medication she gave you... Here is a link about the symptoms of scarlet fever... and if you had scarlet fever, trust me, you wouldn't be in shape to be on the computer... I had it and it's the worst thing I ever had!

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/print...
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/s/scarlet_...

Here are links about side effects and allergic reactions to avelox:
http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=av...
http://www.drugs.com/avelox.html
http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/ave154...
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100...

It really sounds like you had an allergic reaction...

Hope you feel better...

Scarlet Fever is the rash associated most often with strep throat, because it is caused by the same bacteria- strep A. Usually the sandpaper like rash starts on the chest and abdomen, and is worse in the groin area and armpits. While a sore throat isn't required to develop scarlet fever, it is still the most common partner. I'd also wonder, because Scarlet Fever is much more common to the under 18 set, it's pretty rare to see in an adult. The easiest way to have confirmed or eliminated it would have been to do a throat culture. Now that you've had the antibiotics it isn't a choice anymore. If your rash peels, right down to between your toes, then it may have been scarlet fever. If it simply fades away, then it probably wasn't. In future I would certainly mention the reaction if you were ever given the medication prescription again, and be very cautious taking that first dose. If you get a similar reaction, then you will definitely know. Otherwise, at things stand now, it's really hard to say. Seeing the rash and having a culture would settle it all for good, without that it's impossible to say. My first bet would be you were right, though, because too many things don't fit.