How is scarlet fever and how long has the disease

Transmission of scarlet fever

Mostly this disease is for children from 1.5 to 11 years. If simple, then the scarlet fever is nothing like the first contact with streptococcal bacteria. Therefore, in addition to sore throats allergic reaction to the Streptococcus. In the last century, scarlet fever claimed thousands of lives. To date, pharmacies have a large number of antiseptics which greatly reduced the number of child morbidity and moved the disease to a later age. The causative agent of scarlet fever is toxigenic S. Pyogenes or hemolytic Streptococcus.

The causative agent of scarlet fever S. Pyogenes – gram-positive bacteria, spherical in shape, forming small colonies in the form of chains. Is transmitted through direct contact with a sick person. This is especially true of children who had low immunity.

The causative agent of scarlet fever begins to secrete in the environment of the human body toxins, which adversely affect the heart, hitting his myocardium, brain, epidermis, and also poisons the body, causing toxicity. Poisoning of the body is accompanied by symptoms:

  • a strong increase in temperature (fever),
  • aching pain in muscles and joints,
  • headache and dizziness,
  • weakness and drowsiness,
  • the decrease in General well-being and health,
  • myalgia.

In our time, this particular disease does not cause complications.

As the disease could easily fool the immune system? It's simple: the streptococci of this group is able to easily evade phagocytosis, thus tricking the immune system.

How can scarlet fever be transmitted?

The question is, how is scarlet fever, should know.

The disease is transmitted in the autumn and spring period. The initial stage of the disease is manifested in a rash, and a more advanced stage accompanied by vasculitis.

Toxigenic and hemolytic Streptococcus are capable of penetrating the mucous membranes of the nose and throat and genital organs, cutaneous wounds. Mostly in children transmission of scarlet fever is airborne, but are often transmitted disease and contact-household way.

Bacteria can settle on unwashed hands, toys, clothes – all of which can cause infection. It is necessary to observe rules of personal hygiene and doing the disinfection of the premises.

Scarlet fever can be transported not only through sick children, but also can be transmitted also from the media. About 20% of healthy people may be carriers of the Streptococcus. The media is able to allocate a sufficiently large number of infection in order to infect another person. Scarlet fever can only occur one time in your life. If the person is caught again, this means that he had a simple strep infection (rheumatic fever or glomerulonephritis). This is easily explained by the fact that grown immune to any bacteria streptococcal. That is why the second time the disease would no longer be scarlet fever, and bacterial sore throat.

How long is scarlet fever?

The incubation period can last on average 7 – 10 days. We can assume that when a person has the first symptoms appear, it becomes contagious to others. But there are cases when children have nearly the healing and he will no longer be contagious, and sometimes after recovery child will be contagious for a long time and at the same time be a carrier of scarlet fever. The incubation period ends with the appearance of first symptoms (rash, fever).

Allocate 4 periods of scarlet fever:

  • The latent period – it lasts from 3-7 days.
  • The initial stage of the disease – about last about a day.
  • The peak of the disease or its height – lasts almost a week.
  • The recovery period from 10 to 20 days.

How can you protect yourself from scarlet fever?

The most simple methods that you can take – it is time to discover the source of the disease or carriers of scarlet fever and to isolate bacterial source. Isolation should take place approximately 10-12 days depending on the severity of the disease. With regard to kindergartens and other childcare facilities, they should be closed within 2-3 weeks.

Hospitalization is necessary only for those patients who are at moderate and severe stages of the disease. Those children who had contact with infected people, you should carefully check about 2 - 3 weeks. While it is best to stay at home and temporarily unable to attend pre-school. Children who had contact with patients are not allowed in the 1-3 grade school about 2-3 weeks.

In the house where the patient needs a complete disinfection. For this child it is necessary to prepare personal dishes, clothes and other necessary things. At the time of quarantine it is recommended to remove all soft toys, carpets – in short, all what can remain bacteria. In a room of sick children always carry out disinfection, wet cleaning (especially in tight spaces) and ventilation. Clothes can not be washed with other things. It is best to handlethem with disinfectant. Care must be exercised directly by one family member and limit the child's communication with other people in the house. In order to protect yourself from scarlet fever it is necessary to strengthen the immune system. This can be done with the help of multivitamin complexes and food. Well follow the processing of food: carefully wash fruits and vegetables well cook and fry foods.

There is another way of infection of scarlet fever, about which not all know – is through contaminated food. This is especially true of dairy and sour-milk products supply. To protect yourself, you need to carefully handle food and personal hygiene.