Cold, followed by rash, may could add up to fifth disease
Mary Lou is one of those children that always catches cold. So, no one thought much about her having another stuffy nose and low grade fever accompanied by a headache and upset tummy. But, several days after the symptoms seemed to fade, she developed a rash on her face that looked like someone slapped her. Hard.
It started with bright red blotches and then a few days later the rash spread to her arms and legs and then her torso. It looked lacy and she complained it itched slightly, but said that she felt fine. However, her mom was worried enough to take her to the pediatrician and that was a good idea, we’ll explain why in a minute.
Mary was diagnosed with fifth disease, a common rash also called Parvovirus B19 or erythema infectiosum that is just a viral infection that, according to KidsHealth.org. Children recover from quickly and without complications. To clarify quickly, no, she didn’t catch it from the dog. Human parvovirus is different than the virus that affects pets. This virus can neither be transmitted between humans and animals nor vice versa.
“The name ‘fifth disease’ is historic,” says KidsHealth’s website. “This infection was counted among the five classical rash-associated infections of childhood. The other four were measles, scarlet fever, rubella (German measles), and a rash-producing infection that’s unknown to doctors today and is simply referred to as ‘fourth disease.’”
A disease that many people get but don’t know it because the symptoms are mild, fifth disease occurs everywhere in the world. For some reason, outbreaks happen more often in late winter and early spring, but they certainly aren’t confined to that time period. Children between the ages of five and fifteen are most commonly infected, but it can happen to any age group.
Besides the cold-like symptoms, older teens and adults may experience joint swelling or pain in the hands, wrists, knees or ankles. The Centers for Disease Control says the rash can vary in intensity and may come and go for several weeks, although typically it will go away in 7-10 days.
Adults may not have the rash at all; just joint pain and swelling that most often will be gone in one to three weeks, although it’s not unheard of for it to last for months or longer. Once it’s gone there are typically no long-term problems.
As soon as the rash appears, the person is no longer contagious, but prior to that the infection spreads easily from respiratory fluids particularly when the infected person sneezes or coughs. It’s estimated that if you haven’t had fifth disease you have a 50 percent chance of getting it if a family member does.
It is one of those viruses that once you’ve had it, you build immunity to it. So, it’s highly unlikely you’ll get it more than once.
So, even though it’s a virus and there isn’t any treatment but letting it run its course, the good idea for Mary Lou to see the medico is because her mother was pregnant and because parvovirus B19 can also spread through blood, a pregnant woman can pass the virus to her baby.
If you’re pregnant and suspect you’ve been exposed to fifth disease, please see your healthcare provider for a blood test. Although you may not have serious complications from the virus, there are cases of babies developing severe anemia and in rare instances the woman may have a miscarriage.
Kathy Hubbard is a trustee on Bonner General Hospital Foundation Board. She can be reached at 264-4029 or kathyleehubbard@yahoo.com.