Infectious erythema, also known as slap disease or slap syndrome, is an infection of the airways and lungs, which is very common in children up to 15 years old and causes red spots on the face, as if the child had received a slap.
This infection is caused by the Parvovirus B19 virus and therefore can also be known scientifically as parvovirus.Although it can occur at any time, infectious rash is more common in winter and early spring, particularly because of its form of transmission, which occurs mainly through coughing and sneezing.
- Infectious rash is curable and treatment usually includes only rest at home and adequate hydration with water.
- However.
- In case of fever.
- It is important to consult a family doctor or pediatrician.
- In the case of children.
- To start using drugs to reduce body temperature.
- Such as acetaminophen for example.
The first symptoms of an infectious rash are usually
Because these symptoms are not specific and appear in winter, they are often mistaken for influenza and are therefore relatively common that the doctor initially doesn’t give you much importance.
However, after 7 to 10 days, the child with infectious erythema develops the characteristic red spot on the face, which eventually facilitates diagnosis, this spot has a bright red or slightly pink tone and mainly affects the cheeks of the face, although it can also appear on the arms, chest, thighs or buttocks.
In adults, the appearance of a red spot on the skin is rarer, but joint pain usually occurs, especially on the hands, wrists, knees or ankles.
Most of the time, your doctor can only make the diagnosis by looking at signs of the disease and assessing the symptoms that the person or child can describe; However, because the first signs are not specific, it may be necessary to have a skin or point of joint pain to confirm the diagnosis of infectious erythema.
However, if there is a lot of suspicion of infection, your doctor may also, in some cases, order a blood test to determine if there are specific antibodies to the disease in your blood; if this result is positive, it indicates that the person is actually infected with erythema.
Infectious rash is quite contagious because the virus can be transmitted through saliva.For example, you can get the disease if you’re near an infected person or child, such as coughing, sneezing, or releasing saliva when you talk.
In addition, sharing utensils, such as cutlery or glasses, can also lead the person to develop an infectious rash, as simple contact with infected saliva also transmits the virus.
However, this transmission of the virus only occurs in the early days of the disease, when the immune system has not yet managed to control viral load.Then, when the characteristic stain appears on the skin, the person no longer transmits the disease normally and can return to work or school if they feel well.
In most cases no specific treatment is necessary, since there is no antivirus capable of removing parvovirus and the immune system itself is able to eliminate it completely within a few days.
Thus, ideally the infected person rests to avoid excessive tiredness and facilitate the functioning of the immune system, as well as to maintain adequate hydration, with the intake of water during the day.
However, because the infection can cause a lot of discomfort, especially in children, it is generally advisable to consult a family doctor or pediatrician to start treatment with pain relievers, such as acetaminophen.