Erythema infectiosum, also known as ‘fifth disease’ or 'slapped cheek syndrome', is a kind of skin complaint in the face that affects children aged between 2 and 14 in particular and, at times, some people in the other age groups.

In adults, Erythema Infectiosum is sometimes discernible as an acute arthropathy in the joints without the symptoms in the skin. Here, although both men and women stand equal chances of contacting the ailment, women are more at risk, particularly during pregnancy or in anemic conditions.

Erythema infectiosum is controllable and is without complexities in normal conditions. However, an immunocompetent person affected with the symptoms could end up having immunoglobulin M antibodies, which lead to the formation of immune complexes. This might later develop into severe conditions and require immediate medical intervention.

Causes of Erythema Infectiosum

Erythema infectiosum is basically an airborne disease having its origin in a virus called parvovirus B19. It is cyclical between 4 to 7 years and may be seasonal in nature as it generally surfaces in late winter or early spring. However, in some areas it is seen even in other times of the season.

Under normal condition, a patient who is immunocompetent transmits the infection during the incubation period. However, the ailment does not always get transmitted to the affected person from the virus in its active form. It could also get passed into one’s body-system through blood transfusions as well as from mother to unborn child. Once a person gets affected, exposure to sunrays, friction, bathing in hot water, or stress could definitely aggravate the irritation. Therefore a person afflicted with this malady should take proper care of himself/herself and avoid irritants which aggravate this symptom.

Symptoms of Erythema Infectiosum

The common symptoms of the disorder in the first stage are a running nose, headache, mild fever, pharyngitis, sore throat and lethargy. Nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and painful joints may always surface with the passage of time. Generally a bright red rash may appear on the cheeks after a couple of days only to disappear in a few days’ time. Another rash may again show up on maybe the palms and soles in good time. If exposed to the sun, the rash continues to bother and the irritation increases. The symptoms of the ailment last for four to twenty days.

Relevant findings have revealed that under normal circumstances the symptoms remain confined to the skin and joints. Now so far as the skin is concerned, there are three stages of occurrence of the symptoms for this malaise.

1st – The affected person has a bright red erythema like a sunburn on the cheeks, which fades away after 2-4 days.

2nd – After 1-4 days, an erythematous macular-to-morbilliform eruption occurs around the places affected with rashes.

3rd – The third stage lasting for three days to three weeks has the symptoms disappearing, although they may soon reappear, if exposed to the conditions causing it.

As far as the joints are concerned, Acute Polyarthropathy could affect those who are exposed to PV-B19. It starts with a distinctive prodromal disease as some skin problems also show up, and ends up in pains in the joints.

Arthropathy is common in women affecting the joints of the hands, wrists, knees and ankles in particular. Adult patients with acute arthropathy and rash could develop rheumatic fever, hepatitis, hypersensitive allergic reactions and other ailments.

Effects of Erythema Infectiosum

Normally there are no long-term effects in children; but immunocompetent children, pregnant women and any other adult could acquire serious complications that may even require medical intervention.

Treatment of Erythema Infectiosum

Once the symptoms get noticed the ailment may be confirmed by a blood test, of course not compulsory. However, for a confirmation of the symptoms in patients with other PV-B19–associated symptoms and pregnant woman as well, any of these clinical tests are recommended:

Dot blot hybridization

Polymerase chain reaction

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Erythema infectiosum has no specific treatment. Paracetamol or ibuprofen may be used to control the fever and aches in the body.