Infectious erythema in children and adults: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Infectious erythema refers to viral infections that cause human parvovirus (B19). Infectious erythema is also called the fifth disease, before it go: measles, scarlet fever, rubella, Filatov-Duke disease, infant roseola. Experts believe that the infection is infected by airborne droplets, but the replication of this pathogen is not found in the nasopharynx, which puts this conclusion in doubt. Traces of parvovirus are not found in urine and feces.

Infectious erythema in children is more common than in adults, especially at the age of 4-10 years, in the winter and spring time of the year. Adults infected with the virus may not even notice this, since infection often occurs without symptoms. But there can be rare situations when infectious erythema in adults occurs with high fever, sometimes delirium, headache and muscle pain. Often in adults, the rash is not manifested. After the infection, immunity remains - the second time erythema is not affected.

Symptoms of viral infection begin to appear even before the rash appears, can include: pharyngitis, diarrhea, runny nose, nausea, fever, fever and general malaise. During this period, the child is the most infectious carrier of the virus.

The next signal is skin rashes that look like a "slap" or "butterfly wings." First they form small pink or red foci (the area around the mouth is pale), then rapidly increase in size and merge into one erythematous field of irregular shape. The reverse development of the rash begins from the center, the color changes to grayish, violet. The edges of the rash are the brightest color. After some time after the manifestation, it can spread to the limbs and trunk, while the rashes can be different in duration and severity. Infectious erythema lasts, on average, up to ten days, disappears gradually, leaving barely visible pattern on the skin, the skin on this place does not peel.

In cases of infectious erythema, it is sufficient to perform treatment at home. The patient needs rest, drinking a lot of fluids and taking medications that reduce the symptoms of the disease. Infectious erythema passes by itself, you can help reduce the temperature and other painful symptoms. Antibiotics usually do not take, because the disease is caused by a virus, not bacteria.

There is another kind of erythema - exudative erythema, which refers to diseases that are infectious and allergic. An infectious disease begins with a low temperature and general malaise, after a while on the skin of the palms, genitals, soles or extensor surfaces of the extremities appear rashes (in the form of blisters, spots). Similarly, rashes can occur on the mucous membrane of the mouth, on the lips. There are cases when mucous and skin develops a rash simultaneously.

Diagnosing infectious erythema does not present difficulties for the specialist. If the lesion is on the mucous membrane of the mouth, then the diagnosis can be difficult, since the symptoms are similar to a number of other diseases.

Exudative erythema can have a recurrent manifestation, exacerbation occurs in the spring and autumn, is observed in 50% of carriers of infection. People at risk are young and middle-aged.

Treatment includes the arresting of the disease and its profilaku, aimed at eliminating exacerbations in the future. The use of antibiotics is resorted only in cases of secondary infection in the place where there was already a rash. If bubbles form on the site of the rash, they are pierced and processed with a solution of zelenok.