Introduction
Scarlet fever is a highly contagious infectious disease that occurs mainly in childhood. Especially in community facilities such as schools and kindergartens, there is often an outbreak of a veritable wave of the disease. The highly infectious pathogens, the so-called streptococci, are transmitted via saliva droplets.
When speaking or coughing, the droplets get into the ambient air and can settle in the mucous membranes of the still healthy contact persons and lead to an outbreak of scarlet fever. Contact with objects such as toys, glasses and toothbrushes belonging to sick people also carries a high risk of infection. People who are in direct contact with a sick person are at a particularly high risk of infection.
The incubation period is 2 – 4 days. During this time, the affected persons are already at risk of infection, although they usually do not show any symptoms themselves. General information on the subject can be found at: Scarlet fever
Risk of infection for parents/adults
Since scarlet fever is a highly contagious infectious disease, there is a high risk of infection, especially for parents who are in close physical contact with their sick children every day. The disease-causing streptococci are found in the saliva of infected children. By sneezing or coughing, they enter the environment and can settle in the mucous membranes of healthy children.
The risk of infection for parents and adults is particularly high if, for example, they use the same cutlery as their children. In the case of scarlet fever, parents can minimize the risk of infection by avoiding intensive physical contact with the child and taking care not to use objects such as cutlery and glasses that are also used by the sick child. In addition, adequate hygiene should be ensured, as this can prevent possible smear infections.
Overall, however, the rate of infection among parents or adults is significantly lower than among children, since most people have already contracted scarlet fever once during childhood and thus develop a certain immunity to the strain of the pathogen. If they come into contact with the same strain of the pathogen again in adulthood, the body’s own immune cells destroy it very quickly, so that the disease does not break out. During pregnancy, women are significantly more at risk of becoming infected with scarlet fever.
The mother-to-be’s own immune system is particularly challenged during pregnancy and has to work harder. As a result, there is an increased risk of becoming infected with possible pathogens. Pregnant women are therefore advised to stay as far away as possible from sick persons and to avoid contact with them.
To reduce the risk of infection, pregnant women can take vitamins to strengthen and support their immune system. If a pregnant woman nevertheless falls ill with scarlet fever, the risk for the unborn baby is very low. To date, there are no known cases of damage to the unborn child as a result of the mother’s scarlet fever.
Nevertheless, antibiotic treatment should be administered quickly to avoid possible consequential damage such as heart or kidney damage in the expectant mother. Pregnant women are therefore advised to stay as far away from sick persons as possible and to avoid contact with them. To reduce the risk of infection, pregnant women can take vitamins to strengthen and support their immune system.
If a pregnant woman nevertheless falls ill with scarlet fever, the risk for the unborn baby is very low. To date, there are no known cases of damage to the unborn child as a result of the mother’s scarlet fever. Nevertheless, antibiotic treatment should be administered quickly to avoid possible consequential damage such as heart or kidney damage in the expectant mother.
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