The clinic of scarlet fever has an infectious course, is characterized by an acute form of the disease and is transmitted by airborne droplets. As a source of the disease, infected people pose the greatest danger in the early days of the incubation period of the pathology.
It is noteworthy that scarlet fever, the clinic of which manifests itself in the form of tonsillitis, intoxication, small-point rash, fever, occurs not only in young children, contrary to the erroneous opinion, but also in adults.
Description
This disease is very insidious and often disguised as other, more common pathologies. And in order to distinguish the disease from other defects, you should find out a detailed clinic of scarlet fever: etiology, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and symptoms. This is the only way to detect the disease in a timely manner and take up therapy to prevent possible complications.
It provokes pathology of category A streptococcus, which also leads to the development of concomitant infections: chronic tonsillitis, streptoderma, tonsillitis, erysipelas, rheumatism. The pathogen of scarlet fever settles in the nasopharynx, sometimes even covering the skin, because of which local inflammatory processes appear. Usually, in parallel with this pathology, tonsillitis and regional lymphadenitis occur first.
Exotoxin produced in infectious foci, in turn, provokes the appearance of signs characteristic of exanthema and general intoxication. Factors predisposing to bacterial invasion lead to the appearance of a septic ingredient, which manifests itself as lymphadenitis, otitis media and septicemia.
Features
A significant place in the development of the clinic of scarlet fever, etiology and pathogenesis is occupied by allergic reactions, which are involved in the appearance and subsequent course of the final stage of the pathology. Quite often, all kinds of complications of the disease arise due to reinfection or streptococcal superinfection.
The source of infection is a person infected with scarlet fever, tonsillitis or any other type of respiratory streptococcal disease. As already mentioned, the first days after the acquisition of the virus are considered the most dangerous gap for people around the patient. However, its ability to infect continues for three weeks from the time of infection.
Risk groups
Regarding sensitivity to scarlet fever, it is quite high. The disease appears in people who lack antitoxic immunity. Infection is carried out using strains of microbes that secrete erythrogenic toxins. The disease spreads everywhere, and scarlet fever is most often diagnosed in cold regions.
According to the general level of morbidity and the dynamics of the pathology, it was noted that children are most often infected, especially preschoolers attending special institutions. But the kids brought up at home are infected with scarlet fever much less.
Classification
Scarlet fever, the clinic of which serves to determine the types of pathology, is divided into several main types, depending on the form of the course:
The latter type may be:
- erased - skin rashes do not occur;
- agraved - at the same time hypertoxic and hemorrhagic signs appear;
- extra buccal, abortive.
Given the severity of the scarlet fever clinic, there are:
- light variety;
- moderate form;
- severe type leading to complications.
Depending on the course of the disease, they share:
- acute form;
- lingering variety;
- pathology, passing without any complications and allergic reactions of the body;
- a disease that occurs with allergic bursts.
Given the nature of the emerging complications, the disease can be:
- purulent;
- septic;
- allergic
- mixed infection.
In short, the clinic of scarlet fever initially manifests itself in the form of fever, symptoms of intoxication, sore throat, rash and local lymphadenitis. This disease is characterized by acute onset. That is why it is so important to know all the signs of a scarlet fever clinic, etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pathology - these details will help in time to identify the defect and tackle it.
Symptoms in children
The duration of the incubation period of the pathology is approximately a week, however, in some cases, the duration increases to 12 days. The disease always begins in acute form. The clinic of scarlet fever in children is characterized by an increase in body temperature up to 40-42 degrees, general malaise, severe headaches. Often the child has pain when swallowing, as well as a burning sensation in the throat.
Clinic of scarlet fever in children is regularly manifested in the form of nausea and vomiting, fever, delirium, and even seizures. It becomes difficult for the child to open his mouth, the lymph nodes become inflamed and significantly increase.
A sore throat is considered a typical and constant companion of any form of scarlet fever, which is characterized by staining the sky in a bright scarlet color, an increase in tonsils and the appearance of plaque on their surface. Sometimes the etiology, the clinic of scarlet fever manifests itself as severe pain in the abdomen, which resembles sensations with appendicitis.
Usually already on the first, much less often on the second day, a bright pink or red rash appears on the skin, the spots of which hardly reach two millimeters and only slightly protrude above the integument. A rash spreads throughout the body, resembling red goose bumps. Most spots occur in the armpits and elbows. Itching is likely.
It is noteworthy that the face of the baby is significantly different from the body. A pink rash is concentrated in the forehead and temples, a very bright blush appears on the cheeks. In this case, the nose, upper lip and chin remain pale. The sky, tonsils, tongue, arches acquire a rich red color - this is a characteristic feature of the scarlet fever clinic. Diagnosis and treatment of pathology begins precisely with this phenomenon: only on this basis can a specialist suspect a disease, and during treatment this symptomatology is eliminated first. And given the pallor of the nasolabial triangle, this sign of scarlet fever is very striking.
The duration of the rash can reach about five days, and then it becomes less noticeable, which is additionally accompanied by a decrease in body temperature of a small patient. In the second week of the disease, the skin begins to peel off greatly. This process can take as long as three weeks. Sometimes complications of the scarlet fever clinic develop, the treatment of which is required immediately. We are talking about purulent inflammation, covering a variety of organs. Often transferred pathology provokes the onset of rheumatism.
As already mentioned, the clinical picture and signs of scarlet fever are very similar to tonsillitis, due to which making a specific, correct diagnosis is not always possible. As a result, an infected child remains the distributor of a dangerous ailment.
Symptoms of defect in adults
Timely treatment and prevention of scarlet fever clinic play a significant role in the future life of the patient. After all, not taking care in time about the correct therapy and the prevention of severe forms of the disease, the patient may encounter very unpleasant and even deplorable consequences. That is why it is so important to know in detail the signs of scarlet fever, especially the initial ones, for the most rapid detection of the pathology and its elimination.
Today the most common forms of the disease are extra buccal, erased and septic varieties. As for adult patients, most often they are susceptible to the last two variants of the disease.
Scarlet fever is characterized by the appearance of a light rash, as well as minimal changes in the nasopharynx and oral cavity. Symptoms of this form of the disease usually have a muffled severity, which, in turn, often leads to the ignoring of the condition by the infected person. And the rashes accompanying such scarlet fever rather quickly disappear, so they do not cause severe anxiety in patients.
Regarding the septic type of the disease, it is not so common, but it is for it that most of the severe signs and complications are characteristic. In children, this type of scarlet fever, as a rule, does not occur at all, being exclusively an "adult" type.
Symptoms of this ailment are extremely dangerous and have a pronounced severity. Among the main signs of septic scarlet fever it is worth highlighting: cooling the limbs, lowering blood pressure, weak pulse, heart rhythm disturbance.
As complications, disorders in the work of the kidneys, heart, joint damage, the development of necrotic tonsillitis, otitis media and other defects are often manifested.
Diagnostics
Knowing the methods of treatment, prevention, epidemiology, etiology and clinic of scarlet fever, identifying the disease on time will not be difficult, even for a simple layman. Having such an awareness of the details of the course of the disease, it is completely uncomplicated to determine the ailment even by the visual components of the symptoms and the general feelings of the patient.
However, the differential diagnosis of scarlet fever with pathologies such as all kinds of dermatitis, measles, pseudotuberculosis, and rubella is very important. In some cases, the fibrotic deposits characteristic of an infectious disease, with an increase in tonsils, require an additional difference between the disease and diphtheria. After all, the symptoms of all these diseases are very similar to each other, and only a specialist can distinguish the clinical pictures of different diseases.
For the diagnosis of scarlet fever, laboratory methods are mandatory. Rapid detection of pathology involves the use of a coagglutination reaction, with which it becomes possible to identify streptococcal antigens.
Scarlet fever treatment
The clinic of the disease is so acute that it requires constant monitoring by a doctor even at the stage of therapy. True, treatment should be started only after confirming the diagnosis and establishing the causes, as well as the pathogen. However, basic therapy consists of several unchanged components and rules.
- It is very important to stay in bed for the first two weeks after infection. In the case of a mild to moderate form of pathology, the patient may be in a home environment. If we are talking about a severe stage of scarlet fever, then staying in stationary conditions is a prerequisite for effective treatment.
- It is necessary to completely isolate the infected person from others in order to prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Drug therapy without fail includes taking antibiotics of the penicillin group, which are aimed at destroying the bacteria that provoked the disease. The drugs are prescribed exclusively by a specialist, the optimal course of therapy is at least 10 days - usually, this period is quite enough for recovery. It is very important not to stop treatment and completely go through the entire regimen even when the symptoms have already subsided. Otherwise, the risk of developing a relapse of the pathology is extremely high. Usually, doctors prescribe such antibiotics: Ampiox, Amoxicillin, Cephalexin, Sumamed.
- If an intolerance to the components of penicillin or the presence of an allergy to this substance is found in a child or an adult patient, erythromycin can be used for treatment.
- During therapy, pain medication is also used to eliminate the pain syndrome, which can significantly alleviate the general condition of the patient. Of these funds, doctors recommend most often: Septollet, Lizak, Strepsils. However, such drugs should not be given to very young children, since babies can choke on candy. In addition, as an anesthetic, you can use a solution of "Dioxidine" or "Furacilin" to gargle. In this case, broths of sage, calendula and chamomile will be effective.
- It is equally important to revise the patient's diet, crossing out from the menu spicy, pickled, salty dishes, which can irritate the throat even more. The patient may not even realize that it is precisely due to improper nutrition that the pain and discomfort in the affected area intensifies. It is best for the patient to prefer grated, liquid dishes that will be easy to swallow.
- Another stage of treatment is the elimination of intolerable itching on the body. To do this, you can use antihistamines, such as Suprastin, Diphenhydramine, Diazolin, Tavegil and Loratadin. If we are talking about an infected child, then it is advisable to use creams and ointments for topical use from the group of corticosteroids.
- It is possible to stabilize body temperature and eliminate general malaise with the help of a special drinking regimen, as well as medications: Nurofen, Panadol and Ibuprofen. Parents should remember that it is strictly forbidden for children to knock down a high thermometer with acetylsalicylic acid. After all, this drug is capable of provoking the occurrence of a deadly pathology - Ray's disease.
Prevention of scarlet fever
Severe complications and the clinic can wait for those patients who do not engage in timely treatment or neglect the rules of therapy. But, probably, everyone is well aware that it is much better to prevent the onset of the disease than to deal with it later. Knowing the rules for the prevention of scarlet fever, the clinic of which is extremely difficult for both children and adults, you can pre-prevent the occurrence of an ailment.
You can protect yourself and your child from such an insidious pathology only by restricting contact with an infected person. Indeed, in fact, a vaccine for scarlet fever does not exist. Particular care should be taken by women during pregnancy, because this disease is extremely dangerous and can affect the fetus in an unpredictable way.
The main preventive measures to avoid infection:
- frequent washing of hands with various antiseptics after visiting crowded places - this must be done very carefully;
- the use of individual hygiene items and cutlery - it is very important to teach this to the child;
- restriction of contact with people who have clear clinical signs of scarlet fever.
If one of the family members has contracted the infection, its spread should be prevented. To do this, you must carefully wash all the dishes and other objects that the sick person used. In addition, whenever possible, you need to minimize the patient’s communication with others.
In case of signs characteristic of scarlet fever, you should immediately contact a therapist. In addition to him, you may also need to consult a specialist such as an infectious disease specialist.
Forecast
Modern medicine makes it possible to quickly and effectively suppress streptococcal infection, which includes scarlet fever, due to the use of antibiotics in the early stages of the disease. As a rule, pathology has a favorable outcome. Only in rare cases, with a severe course of the septic variety of scarlet fever, various complications can arise. Relapses of the disease appear only in 2-3% of all cases of infection.