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Scarlet fever
From WikEM
Contents
Background
- Caused by Group A Strep
Clinical Features
- Prodrome of fever, sore throat, vomiting, abdominal pain followed by rash 1-2d later
- Rash
- Enanthem (rash involving mucous membrane)
- Tonsils/pharynx are red and covered with exudate
- Tongue may have initial exudate followed by erythema ("strawberry tongue)
- Soft palate have bright-red spots
- Exanthem
- Begins 1-2days after onset of illness
- Starts on neck, axillae, groin, spreads to trunk and extremities
- Red, finely punctate, sandpaper feel
- Pastia lines: linear petechial eruptions in antecubital/axilla
- Desquamation follows
- Enanthem (rash involving mucous membrane)
Differential Diagnosis
Pediatric Rash
- Drug rash
- Erythema Infectiosum (Fifth disease)
- Hand-foot-and-mouth disease
- Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP)
- Herpangina
- Herpes simplex virus
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Meningitis
- Measles
- Molluscum contagiosum
- Roseola infantum
- Rubella German measles)
- Scarlet fever
- Smallpox
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
Erythematous rash
- Positive Nikolsky’s sign
- Febrile
- Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (children)
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis (adults)
- Afebrile
- Febrile
- Negative Nikolsky’s sign
- Febrile
- Toxic shock syndrome
- Kawasaki disease
- Scarlet fever
- Afebrile
- Febrile
Evaluation
- Clinical diagnosis, based on history and physical exam
Management
- Treatment (to reduce rheumatic fever / nephritis)
- Penicillin VK 50mg/kg BID x 10d OR Amoxicillin 40mg/kg/d in 2 divided doses x10d
- If allergic to penicillin → Azithromycin 10mg/kg on day 1, 5mg/g days 2-5
Disposition
- Discharge
