Roseola Infantile - Causes and Signs of Roseola Infantile

By severity, the disease is divided into:

• mild;
• moderate;
• severe.

Other names for this disease:

• pseudo-rubella;
• sixth disease;
• three-day fever;
• sudden exanthema.

Causes

The cause of sudden exanthema is the herpes virus types 6 and 7. In medical circles, it is called sixth-day fever because of the causative agent of the disease - herpes type 6 (HHV-6) and because the duration of the disease is about six days. Children from birth to two to three years of age are affected. In adults, this disease causes chronic fatigue syndrome. The most dangerous age for pseudorubella to occur is 10–11 months of a child’s life.

Herpes enters a child’s body through airborne droplets, then spreads throughout the body, penetrates the layers of the skin and damages them. By disrupting cellular immune responses, the virus binds to mononuclear cells, causing the development of skin rashes.

Symptoms

The malaise has seasonal characteristics. The incubation period is about two weeks, most often 5–7 days. The onset is acute, accompanied by a sharp rise in body temperature. Drowsiness appears, the baby refuses to eat and becomes capricious. Enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver and spleen is possible. These symptoms last for 3-5 days.

The clinical picture of infantile roseola is similar to the manifestations of rubella, acute respiratory viral infections, and allergies.

After the third day of illness, the temperature begins to decline, appetite appears, and activity returns. But after 20-24 hours, pink rashes are found on the skin. There are no changes in the general condition. The elements persist for 3-6 days, after which they disappear on their own without a trace.

If the body temperature is maintained without any clinical manifestations, then the doctor always suspects the development of an inflammatory process of the urinary tract, ENT organs and prescribes antibiotics. By the end of the febrile period, a rash appears and another diagnosis is established: an allergic reaction to antibiotics prescribed by the doctor.

Diagnostics

Roseola is red spots on the skin that occur due to circulatory problems. This element can be used to make a differential diagnosis.

It all starts with an examination by a pediatrician at home, at a clinic or in a hospital. If a febrile temperature is observed in the evening, then an ambulance doctor is often called to the house, and he conducts an initial examination and sends the patient with suspected rubella to the infectious diseases department, where further and complete diagnostics are carried out by an infectious diseases specialist.

The infectious diseases specialist must begin the laboratory examination with a clinical blood test, urine, serological examination of the blood serum for the presence of specific viral antibodies of class G.

To exclude diseases of the urinary tract, ENT organs, it is necessary to refer the patient for consultation with an otolaryngologist (ENT doctor), nephrologist.

To obtain complete information, you need to make an appointment with an infectious diseases specialist.

Treatment

Therapy is symptomatic, antipyretic drugs are prescribed to combat hyperthermia. The most well-known drug is paracetamol and its analogues. Antipyretic treatment is the prevention of seizures against the background of hyperthermia.

General conditions will be regular ventilation of the room in which the patient is located, wet cleaning twice a day, healthy sleep and a complete diet enriched with vitamins. Antiviral therapy is accompanied by the appointment of acyclovir and its derivatives to combat infection.

Prevention

If it becomes known that a case of pseudo-rubella has occurred in the kindergarten, it is necessary to eliminate contact between healthy children and sick children by isolating the sick child until the rash has completely disappeared.