What is Scarlet Fever?

Most parents of kindergarten children know it: at regular intervals, the message appears that the infectious disease scarlet fever is going around. But where is the difference to “angina” and is really every detection of certain bacteria in the throat equal to scarlet fever? At the end of the 19th century, scarlet fever was still one of the most common causes of death in children. Today, severe courses have fortunately become rare very.

What is scarlet fever?

Scarlet fever is a common infectious disease that occurs especially in the winter months and mainly affects children between the ages of 3 and 8. It is therefore categorized as a pediatric disease (although adults can be just as affected). In some states, scarlet fever is a notifiable infectious disease.

The contagious disease is accompanied by symptoms such as high fever, sore throat, changes in the tongue (“raspberry tongue”) and a typical skin rash, among others.

Causes of scarlet fever

The pathogens are bacteria that belong to the spherical bacteria, streptococci (of group A). They are transmitted mainly by droplets in the air we breathe and direct contact from person to person.

The unpleasant part: Unlike most other childhood diseases, having passed through an infection does not guarantee that you will be spared the next time. This is mainly due to the fact that there are several types of scarlet fever bacteria and that the germs are widespread.

There is no vaccination against scarlet fever. Almost one in ten people carry the germs on their mucous membranes in the nose and throat without developing any symptoms themselves – but they can infect others. In addition, scarlet fever is considered a special form of streptococcus A infection, the pathogens of which can form a very specific toxin.

The other types of streptococci, on the other hand, usually cause “normal” infections of the upper respiratory tract. Since these – like scarlet fever – are often accompanied by tonsillitis and sore throat, the term “angina” (Latin angere = to constrict) is sometimes mistakenly equated with scarlet fever.

Facts about scarlet fever

  • Not every person infected with the scarlet fever bacteria becomes ill – so even healthy people can carry the germs unnoticed.
  • If the germs are detected in a healthy person, for example, in a throat swab, one should not speak of scarlet fever. This designation takes effect only when corresponding symptoms appear.
  • Not all group A streptococci cause scarlet fever, but most normal bacterial respiratory infections.
  • Angina (tonsillaris) is not the same as scarlet fever, but a generic term for all tonsillitis (tonsillitis).