The probability of infection with scarlet fever in adults, features of the course

The symptoms of scarlet fever

The main symptoms of scarlet fever, high temperature, expanding blood vessels of the skin, and abundant rash causing toxin dick (or erythrogenic toxin) secreted beta-hemolytic Streptococcus group A. the enabling environment for the spread of streptococci closed groups, so often the first encounter with the causative agent of "purple fever" occurs in a kindergarten or school.

More than 80% of all cases occurring in age from 2 to 10 years, which explains the designation of scarlet fever to childhood infections.

Once her appearance was in the nature of epidemics with severe consequences, even death, but with the advent of antibiotics, the risk of dangerous complications is minimized, rooting has become much less common. Vaccinations it doesn't exist, but to avoid the wide spread of using the timely implementation of quarantine measures.

When I can ill adults

Due to the strong immune response of the organism to the toxin dick for life antibodies. Therefore, scarlet fever can be sick only once, even if the streptococci come back to the throat and nasopharynx. But due to the high contagiousness of the infection in adults with weakened immune systems who have not had it in childhood, there is a great risk of being infected by a sick child, particularly as it may relate to parents and close relatives.

Streptococcus, penetrating through the mucosa of the oropharynx or the wound surface, they start secreting eritropenia toxins, and if they are not developed antibodies, and the body is for some reason weakened, 3-5 days in humans, can detect clinical signs of scarlet fever. The danger to adults is significantly greater than in children who are at risk of developing complications.

Often it affects soldiers and the students in the dormitories at the expense of not too hygienic living conditions, but in individuals older than 30 years account for no more than 1% of all cases.

Forms and clinical signs of scarlet fever in adults

Infection typical character may occur primarily in the erased and moderate form, but in rare cases develop severe form, sometimes toxic, septic, or mixed toxic-septic. You can get sick and atypical form, which is erased, is rudimentary, with mild manifestations up to no rash. For setting the correct diagnosis in adults in addition to clinical signs should be considered laboratory studies, the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever and the probability of contact with infected people.

Signs of abortive form:

  • rare, pale rash that fades after 2-3 days,
  • mild General toxic symptoms,
  • a moderate increase in temperature to 38oS,
  • catarrhal sore throat,
  • the absence or weak expression scarlatinous peeling,
  • the duration of the main manifestations of 4-5 days.

Signs of a moderate form:

  • febrile fever with a temperature of up to 39.5 OS,
  • abundant bright red rash, accompanied by itching,
  • heart palpitation,
  • acute catarrhal or purulent tonsillitis, ongoing 6-8 days,
  • severe headaches, lack of appetite.

Signs of severe forms:

  • gipertermiceski fever with temperatures up to 41os,
  • psychomotor retardation or excessive motor activity,
  • the appearance of meningeal symptoms,
  • anorexia,
  • sudden hypotension,
  • purulent-catarrhal sore throat,
  • the development of infectious-toxic shock.
For septic form is characterized by predominance of necrotic process spreading to the surrounding tonsil tissue, and is toxic severity of intoxication.

In the most severe hypertoxic form can experience a very rapid increase of the symptoms of severe intoxication with impaired consciousness, seizures, vomiting and the appearance of hemorrhagic rash (petechial hemorrhages) in the skin and mucous membranes that required immediate hospitalization because of the high risk of fatal outcome.

How to treat adult

Mild forms of scarlet fever can be treated at home, but only under the supervision of a physician. The patient is isolated in a separate room for 10 days from onset of disease is treated with medications penicillin in the tablets strictly according to the prescribed scheme. It is important to comply with bed rest for 7-10 days, sparing diet of liquid or pureed food, drink the maximum amount of liquid. To eliminate the catarrhal phenomena it is possible to use symptomatic medications, throat caress with a solution furatsilina, infusions of chamomile, calendula, oak bark.

Moderate and severe forms in adults can only be treated in hospital, the patient matter is constantly under a doctor's supervision. Treatment drugs penicillininjection rate at 10 days, but also can be used with macrolides or lacosamide. Appoint symptomatic treatment of tonsillitis, antihistamines to relieve itching, and vitamins to strengthen the immune system.

When toxic form scarlatina an intramuscular injection of antitoxic serum in a dose appropriate to the severity of manifestations in septic form of this serum is not effective.

What complications are possible

It is very dangerous to have been ill with scarlet fever during pregnancy on the timing to 12 weeks in most cases, it ends in spontaneous miscarriage. If the family has children of preschool or younger school age, the pregnant mother need to closely monitor the epidemiological situation, so as not to catch the baby. The infection is transferred in the later stages of pregnancy, except in severe forms on the fetus is not affected.

Most often scarlet fever in adults can give complications on the ears and the nasopharynx in the form of otitis and sinusitis, as well as the heart in the form of development of infectious-allergic myocarditis and the kidney in nephritis. In the most severe may develop streptococcal sepsis, inflammation of the mastoid process of the temporal bone (mastoiditis), festered lymph node to form adenopleura.

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