Treatment for Scarlet Fever

Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease which causes rash. This type of rash, resembles a sandpaper, and consists of small red bumps that appear over the skin of the infected person. Children or adolescents below the age group of 18 years are more prone to this disease.

Scarlet fever is caused by the toxins produced by bacteria. This illness is caused by bacteria A beta-hemolytic streptococci, which belongs to the pyogenic exotoxin-producing group. The toxin produced by this bacteria travels into the bloodstream and eventually leads to rash over the neck, forehead, cheeks and chest. The rash gradually spreads to the arms and back. The rash begins to appear a day or two after the onset of the illness. It starts fading away in four or five days, but can stay up to 2-3 weeks.

Some of the signs of this illness are fever above 101 degree Fahrenheit, sore throat with enlarged tonsils and chills. Headache, vomiting, stomach ache, tongue coated with white or yellow mucus, muscle ache and peeling of the fingertips are other symptoms of this disease.

Scarlet fever is easily diagnosed by physical examination, as the symptoms can be identified by a doctor. Medical history also needs to be taken into consideration in such cases. Rapid antigen detection test or throat swab is a helpful test to detect this disease. In some cases, the throat culture is also necessary.

The treatment for scarlet fever depends on the age of the patient, overall health, medical history and the extent of illness. It is very important to start the treatment early, failing which, it can lead to some severe complications, like rheumatic fever, liver damage, kidney damage, pneumonia and sinusitis.

The treatment includes administration of appropriate antibiotics to kill bacteria. Penicillin is an important drug which counters this disease by controlling biosynthesis of cell-wall mucopeptide. The drug is administered orally or in injectable form. For individuals who are allergic to penicillin, other antibiotics like erythromycin and clindamycin are also available to arrest bacterial growth. These antibiotics help in reducing the severity of the symptoms, prevent complications and also prevent the spread of disease to others.

Additionally, oral antihistamines can be used in case of severe itching over the rash affected areas. The nails of the infected person should be trimmed, specially in case of small children, because scratching on the affected area can be harmful. An acetaminophen or a paracetamol can be used to keep a check on fever.

Some simpler means of treatment include gargling with warm saline water and increased fluid intake to prevent dehydration. As scarlet fever is a contagious disease, some basic precautions should also be taken to stop its spread. It's wise to keep the child suffering from this illness in isolation, especially away from other children. The bacteria causing this disease can spread due to coughing, sneezing and even breathing. The victim can also experience peeling of the skin in the following days.

This disease can recur, so it is very important to complete the entire course of antibiotics even if the symptoms appear to have vanished. The most important thing to remember is that a medical professional should be consulted if any symptoms of scarlet fever are noticed.