The Basics on Fifth Disease
Fifth disease, or erythema infectiosum, is a mildly to moderately contagious viral infection common among school-age children, particularly in the winter and spring.
Though it can resemble other childhood rashes, such as rubella or scarlet fever, fifth disease usually begins with the distinctive, sudden appearance of bright red cheeks that look as though the child has been slapped. The disease is rare in infants and adults.
Find out more about fifth disease:
Basics
Symptoms
Diagnosis and Treatment
Prevention
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Fifth disease got its name many years ago when it was the fifth on a list of the six recognized childhood rash-forming illnesses; the others include rubella, measles, scarlet fever, chickenpox, and roseola infantum. It also is called slapped-cheek disease because of the characteristic initial appearance in children.
Fifth disease is usually mild. It is spread by respiratory droplets that enter the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through blood. It poses little risk to healthy children and adults, with a couple of exceptions: pregnant women and people with certain types of chronic anemia. If a pregnant woman is infected in the first half of her pregnancy, there is a small risk of severe anemia in the fetus and a 10% risk of miscarriage.
See What Fifth Disease and Other Common Childhood Skin Problems Look Like
What Is Fifth Disease?
Fifth disease, or erythema infectiosum, is a mildly to moderately contagious viral infection common among school-age children, particularly in the winter and spring.
Though it can resemble other childhood rashes, such as rubella or scarlet fever, fifth disease usually begins with the distinctive, sudden appearance of bright red cheeks that look as though the child has been slapped. The disease is rare in infants and adults.
Understanding Fifth Disease
Find out more about fifth disease:
Basics
Symptoms
Diagnosis and Treatment
Prevention
Â
Fifth disease got its name many years ago when it was the fifth on a list of the six recognized childhood rash-forming illnesses; the others include rubella, measles, scarlet fever, chickenpox, and roseola infantum. It also is called slapped-cheek disease because of the characteristic initial appearance in children.
Fifth disease is usually mild. It is spread by respiratory droplets that enter the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through blood. It poses little risk to healthy children and adults, with a couple of exceptions: pregnant women and people with certain types of chronic anemia. If a pregnant woman is infected in the first half of her pregnancy, there is a small risk of severe anemia in the fetus and a 10% risk of miscarriage.
See What Fifth Disease and Other Common Childhood Skin Problems Look Like
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