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Fifth disease is caused by a virus and results in a rash on the face and upper body. The rash first appears on the cheeks, making the person look like he or she has been slapped. The facial rash feels hot and sometimes it itches. After a few days, the rash can spread to the upper body and arms in a lacy pattern. Another symptom is mild fatigue. Many people have no symptoms other than the rash. Fifth disease can last from a few days to several weeks.
Symptoms usually appear two to three weeks after the patient has been exposed. School age children get Fifth disease most often. Adults can also catch it, but they may not have the rash at all. They are more likely to suffer from pain in the small joints of the hands and feet. It is thought that once you have had Fifth disease you become immune and cannot catch it again. Fifth disease is spread by tiny droplets of water from the nose and throat of someone who has the infection. The droplets of water are spread when a person sneezes or coughs. People who have Fifth disease are thought to be the most contagious during the week before the rash starts to show. After the rash appears, the person is no longer contagious. Fifth disease poses a risk to developing foetuses in the first trimester of pregnancy. Before birth, some foetuses infected with Fifth disease will develop complications. Ten percent develop severe anaemia and 2 percent may die. At this time, there is no treatment for Fifth disease. However, because the symptoms are so mild, the infection most often does not need specific treatment. Article #4735 Copyright (c) 2002 McKesson. All Rights Reserved. |
