Scarlet fever is a strain of strep infection that exhibits itself, along with the normal symptoms of strep throat, as a burning rash on the patient's face and body.
The rash usually begins as a redness and soreness, much like that experienced with severe sunburn, save that it exhibits papules, or small blister bumps. Its appearance typically occurs on the second day of infection, if at all. Itching is normal, but does not always occur. The rash is exhibited first on the face and neck, as a rule, but may spread with time to the back, chest, and extremities. The rash usually fades within five days to a week of the infection's onset, and skin may peel and itch, much as it does during recovery from sunburn. Strep-throat symptoms will usually disappear within five days while the rash may persist to six or seven. The infection is highly contagious all throughout its duration, and may be carried asymptomatically by some individuals. Intermediaries like bed linens and clothing may pass the infection on to others, during the period of infection, and bodily fluids like mucus and saliva are, as usual, the most infectious.
Initial diagnosis is performed on the basis of symptoms, but absolute diagnosis can be done by rapid strep test or culture by a health care center. The most common treatment will be a prescription antibiotic, either injected or taken orally. If the medication is delivered orally at home, be sure to finish the dose, or the infection may persist. Some professionals indicate the potential for organ damage as associated with a strep infection, so antibiotic treatment is highly preferable to simply waiting out the duration of the illness. Topical treatments will often be recommended to treat the rash itself, both over-the-counter and prescription. These may include lotions or anti-itch treatments. It is imperative that whenever an individual has a rash that it not be scratched, or permanent damage may be done to the skin, which can result in scarring. This is especially true of children, who cannot always accurately gauge the severity of their scratching. If your child comes down with any rash that might lead to severe itching, try to clip his or her nails close (not too close, of course), to prevent potential scrapes and scars.
