Scarlet Fever
Understanding this bacterial
infection
Scarlet Fever - Contents Page








The Symptoms of Scarlet Fever
The Cause of Scarlet Fever
The Transmission and Prevention of Scarlet
Fever
The Epidemiology of Scarlet Fever
The Treatment for Scarlet Fever
Other Facts about Scarlet Fever
Pictures of Scarlet Fever
References
The Symptoms of Scarlet Fever

Rash




Fever



Looks like a sunburn with bumps that
sometimes itch
On the neck and face (around the mouth)
then it spreads to the chest and body
After about 6 days the rash will go, but for
10 days after that the skin that had it will
peel
About 101°F (38.3°C) or over
It will usually stop within 3-5 days
Sore Throat


Very red
Will pass soon after the fever
The Symptoms of Scarlet Fever (cont.)

Tonsils



Strawberry Tongue



Swollen
Coated in white substance
with yellow dots
Very red
White or pink spots
Other




Chills
Body aches
Throwing up/nausea
Not much of an appetite
The Causes of Scarlet Fever

Streptococcal Bacterium
Group A Streptococcal bacterium
 Same bacteria as for Strep throat


Sharing
Towel/clothes/sheets
 Food
 Utensils


Other

Coughing/sneezing (etc.) on or near others
The Transmission and Prevention of
Scarlet Fever
Prevention
Transmission

Mucus



Throat/nasal mucus
Coming contact/touching with
some from an infected person
Touch



Touching something/someone
that is sick
Very contagious
Touching anything a sick
person has touched

Sharing


Don’t touch/eat anything
infected people have
Other



Washing often
Not sharing
Covering you mouth/nose
when you sneeze/cough
The Epidemiology of Scarlet Fever








People mostly got it in the 1800’s
Less people have gotten it in the last 10 years
Mostly children 4-8 years old get it
People under 2 years old still have their mother’s immunity to it
The rate of getting it increases depending on how many people
you’re with (ex. Over crowding leads to more Scarlet fever)
The chances of getting /scarlet fever decreases in adults because
they grow an immunity
The warmer the climate (or month) is the more of a chance of
getting Scarlet Fever there is.
This effects the Integumentary, Digestive, Muscular,
Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Lymphatic systems
The Treatment for Scarlet Fever

Without Treatment


With Treatment



If it’s very mild you don’t need treatment
If it’s mild it will go away in about 5 days
If it’s full blown you need to have medication
Medicine


10 day course
Stay at home!
Other Facts about Scarlet Fever

Deaths



1900-1920’s a lot of people
were dying of Scarlet Fever
Almost no people were dying
of Scarlet fever in the ’70’s
Diagnosis


Swab throat (uvula) to find
out if you have Scarlet
Fever
Like the doctor does for
Strep Throat
References









Kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/scarlet_fever.html
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001969/
Sick! The Complete Health Resource, volume 4, Boston, 2000, Editors: David
Newton, Donna Olendorf, Christine Jeryan, and Karen Boyder page 639-642, U·X·L
publishing
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/176242.php
Kids.emedtv.com/scarlet-fever/scrlet-fever-transmission.html
www.umm.edu/ency/article/000974prv.htm
www.mayoclinic.com/health/scarlet-fever/DS00917/DSECTION=prevention
www.webmd.com/a-to-zguides/scarlet-fever-topic-overview
www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Scarlet-Fever.htm