A skin rash is not a mandatory criterion of an existing Pfeiffer’s glandular fever, but it does occur in some patients. However, only five percent of patients with mononucleosis are affected by a concomitant rash. If the rash occurs, it is often similar to the rash that occurs in rubella infection, but the rash in whistling glandular fever is usually much less pronounced. The rash can be of varying degrees of severity, ranging from only minor redness to quadd-like swellings that are accompanied by itching. In some cases, the mouth mucosa and tongue are also reddened at the same time.
How to treat the rash correctly?
There is no actual therapy against the Pfeiffer’s glandular fever or the associated skin rash. Only for symptom relief, for example, fever-reducing or pain-relieving medication can be used. However, there is also no symptom-relieving treatment against the rash.
Theoretically, cortisone preparations could be used for excessive itching, but this is not common in practice. It is important that the children or even adults keep a bed rest. Even after the disease has subsided, no sport should be done, as the disease can sometimes cause swelling of the spleen, which can lead to a rupture of the spleen.
Duration of the rash
If a skin rash occurs during the disease, it usually manifests itself in the first days of the disease. On average, the disease lasts for about three weeks, so that the rash should have subsided by then at the latest. However, increased fatigue and tiredness may persist beyond the three weeks, over weeks or months.
Rash on the face
For the rash there is no preferred place of performance. In principle, all parts of the skin can be affected, including the face, which is then covered with small red spots. At the same time, however, arms, legs and chest are usually still affected.
Rash in the mouth
With the Pfeifferschen glandular fever it can come in rare cases to an Enanthem at the hard palate. This is a rash of the palate. This is also called “petechial” because the rash is a very small red spot.
In addition, a rash can also appear on the trunk of the body, which manifests itself as fine, red spots. Far more common are greyish coatings of the tonsils, which become very obvious when looking at the throat. Their appearance is also often described as dirty. However, other rashes in the mouth are not typical for Pfeiffer’s glandular fever.
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