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 was not found in the nasopharynx, which casts doubt on this conclusion. Traces of parvovirus are not found in urine and feces.
Infectious erythema in children is more common than in adults, especially aged 4-10 years, in winter and spring. Adults infected with the virus may not even notice this, as the infection often proceeds without symptoms. But rare situations may occur when infectious erythema in adults proceeds with fever, sometimes delirium, headache and muscle pain. Often, in adult patients, a rash does not occur. After the infection, immunity remains - the second time they do not get erythema.
Symptoms of a viral infection begin to appear even before the rash appears, and may 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 in the face” or “butterfly wings”. Initially, they form small pink or red foci (the area around the mouth is pale), then quickly 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, purple. The edges of the rash are the brightest color. Some time after the manifestation, it can spread to the limbs and trunk, while rashes can be different in duration and severity. Infectious erythema lasts, on average, up to ten days, disappears gradually, leaving a faint pattern on the skin, the skin in this place does not peel off.
For diseases of infectious erythema, it is enough to carry out treatment at home. The patient needs rest, drinking plenty of fluids and taking medications that reduce the symptoms of the disease. Infectious erythema goes away on its own, you can help reduce the temperature and other painful symptoms. Antibiotics are usually not taken, as the disease is caused by a virus, not bacteria.
There is another kind of erythema - exudative erythema, which refers to infectious-allergic diseases. An infectious disease begins with a slight temperature and general malaise, after a while rashes appear in the skin of the palms, genitals, soles or extensor surfaces of the extremities (in the form of blisters, spots). Also, rashes can occur on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, on the lips. There are cases when a rash appears on the mucous membranes and skin at the same time.
Diagnosing infectious erythema is not difficult for a specialist. If the lesion is on the mucous membrane of the mouth, then the diagnosis may be difficult, since the symptoms are similar to a number of other diseases.
Exudative erythema can have a recurrent manifestation, exacerbation occurs in spring and autumn, observed in 50% of carriers of infection. At risk are young and middle-aged people.
Treatment includes stopping the disease and its prophylaxis, aimed at eliminating exacerbations in the future. The use of antibiotics is resorted to only in cases of secondary infection in the place where the rash was already. If bubbles form at the rash site, they are punctured and treated with a solution of brilliant green.