Fifth disease Custom Search Fifth disease also known as Erythema infectiosum is a mild self limited infectious disease caused by a virus belonging to the Parvo virus group. The disease commonly affects children of school-going age and spreads through droplets of respiratory secretions containing the virus. Many infections are subclinical and go unrecognized which means the virus is present is the body without causing any symptoms or signs. The disease is not highly contagious unlike measles and chickenpox. Symptoms and signs: There are no specific symptoms. Affected children have fever which is usually mild along with cough, cold and sore throat. The characteristic feature of this disease is a rash which is prominent on the checks. It starts usually after 10 days of getting the infection as red spots which may be slightly elevated above the surface of the skin. The lesions merge causing diffuse redness of the checks as if the child has been slapped (hence the name slapped check appearance). The rash may be warm to tough. Many children complain of itching. The rash may also appear on forehead, chin, extremities, trunk and the area behind the ears. Palms and soles are usually spared. The rash fades gradually sometimes taking more than 2 weeks.
Laboratory tests:The white blood cell count may be reduced. Specific IgG and IgM antibody tests are available but are generally not needed as the disease is usually mild. Complications: Rarely some children develop complications. Some of the reported complications of fifth disease are as follows. Arthritis (inflammation of joints) characterized by pain and stiffness can occur usually after the rash appears. Pain may persist for several weeks but recovery is complete without any permanent damage. Aplastic crisis: The virus can cause reduction is the number of reticulocytes (cells which develop into red blood cells). This may not cause any problem in those with normal life span of RBCs. But patients of hemolytic anemia like thalassemia may develop severe anemia. Thrombocytopenia (decrease in number of platelets) is another complication. Infection during early pregnancy can cause fetal infection and ever death of fetus. Treatment: The disease is usually mild and affected children may only need symptomatic treatment for fever cough and cold. Blood transfusion may be requires for aplastic crisis. Custom Search
Page last reviewed on 2nd January 2011
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