Fifth disease is a viral illness that is common in children. It is also known as "slapped cheek disease" because of the red rash some children develop on their faces. Fifth disease is spread mostly by coughs and sneezes. By the time the rash appears, your child can no longer spread the disease to anyone else. After being infected with this virus, your child cannot get it again.
Fifth disease can cause symptoms similar to the flu. Your child may have a runny nose, sore throat, headache, belly pain, and achy joints. A few days later, a bright red rash may appear on their cheeks and then may appear on the rest of the body. The rash may last for 7 to 10 days. The rash may come and go for several weeks.
Home care, such as rest, fluids, and pain relievers, is usually the only care needed for fifth disease. Doctors do not use antibiotics to treat fifth disease, because it is caused by a virus rather than bacteria.
Talk with your doctor if your child has any form of long-term anemia and is exposed to fifth disease. Fifth disease can make anemia worse.
Fifth disease (erythema infectiosum) is a contagious and usually mild viral illness that is common in children. Early symptoms of fifth disease are like flu symptoms, which are then followed by a rash on the face that looks like slapped cheeks and a lacy pink rash on the backs of the arms and legs, torso, and buttocks.
This illness is most contagious the week before the rash appears. After the rash has started, the child usually is no longer contagious. The rash may come and go for several weeks in response to changes in temperature and sunlight.
Home treatment with rest, fluids, and pain relievers can help keep the child comfortable.
Fifth disease, although usually a mild illness in children, poses a slight risk to developing fetuses. Exposure to the disease during pregnancy should be avoided, if possible. If you are exposed to a child who has fifth disease while pregnant or if you develop a rash like that caused by fifth disease, you should contact your doctor.
Fifth disease (erythema infectiosum) is sometimes called "slapped-cheek disease" because of the rash that some people get on the face.
A bright red rash occurs on the cheeks, and then the rash may appear on the rest of the body. The rash may last for 7 to 10 days.
The rash on the body starts as round red spots and begins to take on a lacy look. It can be itchy, especially in older children. The rash may come and go for several weeks. Even though a rash comes back, it does not mean the illness is worse.
Your doctor can diagnose fifth disease by doing a physical exam and asking questions about your medical history. The disease is easier to diagnose if you have the rash.
Tests aren't usually needed, but they may be done in some cases to confirm that you have fifth disease.
Fifth disease is a very common childhood illness. Adults can get it too. It is sometimes called slapped-cheek disease because of the rash that some people get on the face. You spread the disease by coughing and sneezing.
Fifth disease is usually a mild illness that lasts a few weeks. It can be more serious for people with weak immune systems or blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease. It can also cause problems for a developing fetus if exposure to the illness occurs during pregnancy. But this isn't common.
Fifth disease is caused by a virus called human parvovirus B19. (Only humans can catch and spread fifth disease. Although there are other parvoviruses that infect animals, you cannot catch these from your pet or any other animal.)
As a rule, people can spread fifth disease only while they have flu-like symptoms and before they get a rash. Usually, by the time the rash appears, you can no longer spread the disease to anyone else. Some people, such as those who have weak immune systems or blood disorders, may be able to spread the disease for a longer time.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
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