Communicable Disease Series Causative agent Incubation period Avoid sharing personal items e.g. eating utensils and towels Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection caused Usually 1 - 3 days Maintain good ventilation by Group A Streptococcus. It mostly affects children under 10 years of age. Sick children should refrain from school Clinical features Management or child care settings until fever It usually starts with a fever and sore throat. Scarlet fever can be effectively treated with is down and have Headache, vomiting and abdominal pain may antibiotics. If you develop symptoms of scarlet been treated with also occur. The tongue may have a distinctive fever, consult your doctor promptly and take antibiotics for at Scarlet Fever ‘strawberry’-like (red and bumpy) appearance. antibiotics according to your doctor’s advice. least 24 hours. A ‘sandpaper’ texture-like rash would Symptoms may partly be relieved by parallel commonly begin on the first or second day of use of fever-lowering drugs, rest and illness over the upper trunk and neck which plenty of fluids. spreads to the limbs. The rash is usually more prominent in armpits, elbows and groin areas. Centre for Health Protection It usually subsides after one week and is Prevention Website followed by skin peeling over fingertips, There are no vaccines available against scarlet toes and groin areas. fever. The public is advised to reduce their www.chp.gov.hk chance of getting infection by adopting the Scarlet fever is sometimes following measures: complicated with middle ear infection, throat abscess, Maintain good personal and environmental chest infection, meningitis, hygiene bone or joint problems, damage to kidneys, liver and Always keep hands clean heart, and rarely toxic shock syndrome. and wash with liquid soap 24-Hour Health Education when they are dirtied by Hotline of the Department of Health Mode of transmission mouth and nasal fluids The bacteria are present in the mouth, throat Cover your nose and 2833 0111 and nose of the infected person. They are mouth while sneezing or transmitted through either respiratory droplets coughing and dispose or direct contact with infected of nasal and mouth discharge properly * Courtesy of Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, respiratory secretions. Princess Margaret Hospital for the clinical photo. Printed in November 2015.