Recognizing exanthema diseases: Sudden rash, roseola infantum or sixth disease 2017/06/08

We’ve talked about some exanthema diseases like scarlet fever, also called first disease, measles also called second disease.

The sixth in question is called that because it represents the sixth type of rash described in the world of medicine. Together let’s see the causes, the spreading and course

The cause of the sixth disease is the human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6) which belongs to the HSV family, meaning, herpes’s simple virus appears on the lips and genitals. Nevertheless, the sixth disease virus doesn’t cause Herpes

The disease has no particular season, for which it can be caught any time of the year.

It’s transmitted through nasal mucus and saliva, ergo, by sneezing and coughing or even just because the virus penetrates through mucus membranes of the superior airways.

Generally children under two years old are the ones that are affected. After a period of incubation of 5 to 15 days, high fever appears with peaks of up to 41°C and other mild symptoms like colds, sore throat and general discomfort. It could look like a normal flu, if it wasn’t that once fever is gone, a rash appears on the trunk and neck, then in the face and limbs until it goes away in a couple of days. Exanthema is pink colored and presents a mild prominence, but no itchiness. Once reddens is noticed in the skin, the child is no longer infectious

There aren’t vaccines against the sixth disease and its course is fast, even if the fever is high it can cause some complications like convulsions, that can be resolved with administration of an antipyretic

The usual advice I can give is to make the child drink, better if it’s small sips but continuously, to keep them hydrated

No antibiotics are administered because the cause is a virus not a bacteria

To eliminate any doubt, consult your pediatrician