Fifth Disease (aka Slapped Cheek Disease)

Fifth disease seems go be going around these days in Ottawa.  The official medical name is erythema infectiosum.  It is a viral infection caused by parvovirus B19 and is called fifth disease because it was the fifth on the list of common childhood rashes - the others being rubella, measles, scarlet fever,

chicken pox and roseola infantum (sixth disease).  It is also known as Slapped-cheek disease because of the characteristic initial symptom of a red cheek (or two).

Fifth disease is usually mild and is spread by coughs or sneezes through respiratory droplets.  It poses little risk to healthy children and adults.  Those who are more at risk of complications are pregnant women and people with certain types of chronic anemia.  (See your doctor if this is your situation.)

Symptoms include:  low-grade fever; chills; headache; body ache;  sore throat; cold-like symptoms; runny nose. There can also be an upset stomach and diarrhea. These aforementioned symptoms usually appear first.  Then the rash appears.  The rash can appear first on the cheeks and then it spreads to the torso, arms and legs. The rash can be itchy.  The rash can last for up to six weeks but generally only lasts for about two weeks.  Adults are less likely to have the rash and more likely to have swollen painful joints.  By the time the rash appears the child is no longer contagious.  The incubation period is usually anywhere between 4-14 days and can on occasion be as long as 21 days in length.

Here is a table of useful homeopathic remedies for fifth disease.