Fifth Disease

Fifth Disease (also called erythema infectiosum) is so-named because it is the fifth in the group of common viral infections that affect children – after mumps, measles, chickenpox, and rubella. There is no vaccine against fifth disease. It is caused by a parvovirus, which spreads from child to child through direct contact.

Fifth disease is a mild illness, and many children who have it feel generally well. It often starts with a sore throat, slight fever, and lethargy. After about a week comes the characteristic feature – a bright red, possibly warm, rash on the cheeks that gives them the appearance that they have been slapped. Within several days, the rash spreads to the trunk, arms, legs, and buttocks in a lacelike pattern. The rash usually lasts 7-10 days before fading. In some children, the rash returns over the course of several weeks. In older children and adults, the rash may be accompanied by joint pain.

Your doctor may diagnose fifth disease based on your report of the symptoms and a physical exam. Your child is infectious while s/he has the sore throat and fever, but not when the rash is present. Treatment includes rest, fluids, and fever reduction with acetaminophen or ibuprofen (not aspirin). If the rash itches, apply a bland lotion or ointment. The condition goes away on its own usually within 10 days.

If a pregnant woman contracts the illness in her first trimester, she may wish to consult her doctor since the virus can affect the developing baby at that time. (Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, c.1999, Simon and Schuster Source)