Diagnosis
An antigen rapid test can be used to diagnose scarlet fever. A smear of the baby’s pharyngeal mucosa is taken with a cotton swab. After a few minutes, the doctor can use the test to see whether the patient’s throat is colonized with streptococci.
It is important to remember that this test does not detect or indicate all scarlet fever. If the test is positive, there is an infection with streptococci and should be treated with an antibiotic as soon as possible. If the test is negative, the test should send a new throat swab to the laboratory. Here the bacteria that may be present can be cultivated and reliably detected.
Therapy
The proper therapy for scarlet fever in babies consists of initiating antibiotic therapy. The antibiotic of first choice is penicillin and is usually administered to babies in the form of juice or, if the baby is hospitalized, intravenously. The administration of the antibiotic has the primary goal of ensuring that the sick babies no longer present a risk of infection as quickly as possible. After an antibiotic therapy carried out over 24 hours, there is usually no longer any risk of infection.
Is there a vaccination?
There is no active vaccination against scarlet fever. After a past infection, one can become infected again with another strain of streptococcus, which produces a different toxin, and the disease can break out again. After 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, the infected baby is no longer contagious. However, if the illness is cured without antibiotic therapy, there is a high risk of infection until the symptoms have subsided, i.e. up to three weeks.
Risk
As with other infectious diseases, scarlet fever can lead to severe courses and complications. A toxic course with diarrhea, vomiting, cramps and dizziness can develop. There is also a risk of blood poisoning, which can lead to meningitis or blood clots forming in the baby’s brain.
Neurological failures and seizures may also occur. Another secondary disease is rheumatic fever. The immune system forms antibodies against the streptococci, which in turn react with the body’s own tissue and can lead to joint – heart – and kidney damage.The risk of acute kidney inflammation, a so-called glomerulonephristis, is also increased. Overall, the risk of late complications and secondary diseases can be significantly reduced if the disease is detected early and treated with antibiotics.
