Viral exanthemas

• First disease - measles

  Second disease - scarlet fever

  Third disease - rubella (German measles)

  Fourth disease - Dukes disease

  Fifth disease - erythema infectiosum/slapped cheek (parvovirus B19)

  Sixth disease - roseola infantum
• Exanthem:

  • Medical name given to a widespread rash
  • Usually accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever, malaise, and headache
  • Usually caused by an infectious condition such as a virus
  • Represents either a reaction to a toxic produced by the organism, damage to the skin by the organism, or an immune response
• Exanthems during childhood are very common and are usually due to specific viral infections:

  • Chickenpox (varicella)
  • Measles (morbillivirus)
  • Rubella (rubella virus)
  • Roseola (herpes virus 6B)
  • Erythema infectiosum (parvovirus B19).
• Exanthems caused by bacterial infections include:

  • Staphylococcal toxin infections - toxic shock syndrome, scalded skin syndrome
  • Streptococcal toxin infections - scarlet fever