Many years ago, scarlet fever was equated with a plague, annually taking the lives of tens of thousands of children. Now the situation has changed radically, and this disease is considered easily treatable, but the fear of it in most people has not disappeared. That is why everyone who faced this ailment in childhood is worried about whether it is possible to get scarlet fever again and how to avoid it.
What it is
Scarlet fever is an acute infectious disease, the main signs of which are a rash throughout the body, intoxication of the body, redness of the throat and tongue. This disease develops in the human body due to the ingress of hemolytic group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes). It is worth noting that streptococci harm only people with weak immunity, which is why most often small children suffer from the effects of their ingestion into the body.
This disease is known to people since ancient times, but then scarlet fever was often confused with rubella or measles. For a long time, the disease was considered viral, not bacterial, and therefore it was treated incorrectly, which ultimately led to a large number of victims. However, it is worth noting that during the time of Hippocrates, when the first mention of the disease appeared, antibiotics did not exist yet, and therefore people had very few chances to cure scarlet fever, even if it was recognized.
In 1675, Dr. Thomas Sydenham was able to describe in detail the symptoms of the disease, giving him the name scarlet fever, which is translated from English as "purple fever." Scarlet fever got this name because of its main symptoms - a rash on the body and the so-called raspberry tongue.
How does the disease go?
It all starts with streptococcus entering the body. Usually this occurs by airborne droplets, but infection through food, dirty clothes and even toys is not excluded. The worst thing is that carriers of streptococcus are not always sick people with obvious signs of malaise. There are cases when an absolutely healthy person becomes the carrier of the infection, on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx of which group A streptococci “settled”.
The incubation period of the disease lasts from 1 to 12 days. Having penetrated the body, streptococcus settles on the mucous membranes and begins to multiply. At the same time, erythrotoxin is released. This toxic substance causes certain changes in the body, which are manifested by the symptoms of the disease.
It is noteworthy that the body, having developed immunity to a certain erythrotoxin, ceases to respond to erythrotoxins of other streptococci. This is because antibodies that protect against substances of this type begin to circulate regularly in the blood of a person. That is why the answer to whether it is possible to get scarlet fever again will sound something like this - erythrotoxins can cause infection only once, but other forms of streptococcus - as much as you like.
After streptococcus begins to secrete toxins, a person will feel the first symptoms of scarlet fever - fever and sore throat. In a few hours, a rash will appear, the skin will acquire a reddish tint, the tongue will become bright crimson, and a purulent coating will be visible in the throat and tonsils, as is the case with angina.
Symptoms of scarlet fever
A rash and fever are far from all the symptoms that can occur in a patient with scarlet fever. Although they are the first signs of the disease. With each day the infection develops in the body, a person may manifest:
- headache;
- general malaise;
- apathy or excessive irritability;
- tachycardia;
- enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes;
- high blood pressure.
As with other infectious diseases, a patient diagnosed with scarlet fever feels sluggish and depressed. Dizziness and even loss of consciousness, lack of sleep, or vice versa severe fatigue are not ruled out.
Is it possible to get scarlet fever again
As mentioned above, children aged 2 to 16 years are most often sick with scarlet fever. In the first year of life, infants are protected by maternal immunity, therefore, cases of the disease among them are practically not fixed. Thanks to modern treatment methods, scarlet fever has ceased to be considered such a dangerous disease, as it was before, and now, in case of timely diagnosis, it is treated as simply as an ordinary cold.
Mothers whose babies have had scarlet fever at an early age are tormented by the same question - is it possible to get scarlet fever again. The answer is definitely yes, because getting infected with this disease is very simple. The chances are many times greater if a person has a weakened immune system. That is why all doctors and nutritionists recommend eating as many natural foods rich in vitamins and minerals as possible. These beneficial substances favorably affect the protective functions of the body, which helps to avoid many viral and bacterial diseases.
Recurrence of disease
The human body develops immunity to only one specific type of streptococcus, and there are a huge variety of varieties of this bacterium. That is why getting sick with scarlet fever is again as simple as, for example, catching a cold. As in the case of acute respiratory viral infections, the risk of becoming a victim of the disease increases during the cold season, when a person eats less fruits and vegetables, lacks the necessary vitamins, and, therefore, weakens his immunity.
If the child re-develops scarlet fever, as with the primary disease, penicillin-type antibiotics will help. Usually, treatment takes place at home, but in case of any complications, the patient is transferred to a hospital.
Adults tolerate scarlet fever much easier than children. It often happens that due to similar symptoms, scarlet fever is confused with sore throat or flu. Insufficiently strong children's immunity is not able to fully resist the disease, so small patients feel the whole spectrum of unpleasant symptoms that accompany this infection.
How is scarlet fever treated?
Not only children, but also adults, are ill again, but in both of these cases, patients are treated according to a similar technique. First of all, an infected person must be isolated from society for at least 10 days before the first improvements occur. Next, drug treatment with antibiotics is performed.
Streptococci are highly sensitive to such drugs, therefore, usually after a day after treatment, positive results are observed. Primary or repeated scarlet fever in children and adults is usually treated for 7 days. In addition to antibiotics, the patient is prescribed vitamins to maintain immunity and antihistamines.
During the period when the patient has a high temperature, bed rest should be observed. Warm drinks, such as lemon tea, help speed up the healing process. As for the diet, for some time it is best to abandon foods that can cause allergies - chocolate, oranges, tangerines and so on.
Treatment Risks
Modern medicine is able to provide quick and high-quality treatment, so mothers should no longer be so worried about the question of whether a child can get sick again with scarlet fever. Nevertheless, this has both its pros and cons. The main disadvantages of emergency therapy include the fact that often due to the rapid death of bacteria, the body does not have time to develop immunity to it. This can lead to the risk of infection from the same type of bacteria in the future, however, in such cases, the disease is much easier and faster.
Exit to society
Another issue of concern to mothers: is it possible to get scarlet fever again in a child during treatment for a disease? Oddly enough, but such cases are quite common, because weakened immunity, leading a "fight" against one type of bacterium, can easily "give up" under the onslaught of a completely different pathogen. That is why doctors advise patients with scarlet fever to avoid contact with other children within three weeks from the start of treatment.
Not surprisingly, scarlet fevers often flare up in kindergartens and schools. If one of the pupils of such an educational institution is infected, the quarantine must be carried out in order to further spread the disease. Such events usually last several weeks, after which the visit can be considered safe.
Complications
Is it possible to get sick with scarlet fever again - by no means the most important thing that should worry mothers of infected children. The worst thing in this disease is the complications that occur due to improper or untimely treatment. If you start the disease, the patient may have problems with the kidneys, liver, heart and other organs. The worst outcome could be death. In the past, so many patients died from scarlet fever complications.
General recommendations
When treating the disease at home, be sure to regularly ventilate the room in which the patient is. It is also important to do a thorough wet cleaning in it. It is best if these events are held twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
Since one of the main symptoms of scarlet fever is a reddening of the throat, in parallel with the treatment of the disease itself, angina therapy is necessary. Rinsing with various decoctions of herbs, for example, sage or chamomile, can help with this. You can also use special pharmacy sprays and tablets, however, in this case, consulting a doctor will not hurt.
If you adhere to all the recommendations of a specialist, do not violate bed rest, take medicines on time, the disease will proceed easily and quickly, without causing any complications. Otherwise, unpleasant consequences and further long-term treatment are possible.