Overview
Scarlet fever is a very contagious infection that mostly affects young children. It's easily treated
with antibiotics.
Check if you have scarlet fever
The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature a sore
throat and swollen neck glands (large lump on the side of your neck).
A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. It looks like small raised bumps and starts on the chest and tummy, then
spreads. The rash makes your skin feel rough, like sandpaper.
On white skin the rash looks pink or red. It may be harder to see on brown or black skin, but you can still feel
it.
A white coating also appears on the tongue. This peels, leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in little
bumps called ("strawberry tongue").
The rash doesn't appear on the face, but the cheeks can look red. The redness may be harder to see on brown
and black skin
The symptoms are the same for children and adults, although scarlet fever is less common in adults.
See a GP if you or your child:
- has scarlet fever symptoms
- doesn't get better in a week (after seeing the GP)
- are ill again weeks after scarlet fever got better - this can be a sign of a complication,
such as rheumatic fever
- are feeling unwell and have been in contact with someone who has scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is very easily spread. Check with a GP before you go in. They may suggest a phone
consultation.
What happens at your appointment
GPs can often diagnose scarlet fever by looking at the tongue and rash. Sometimes they may:
- wipe a cotton bud around the back of the throat to test for bacteria
- arrange a blood test
Treating scarlet fever
Your GP will prescribe antibiotics. These will:
- help you get better quicker
- reduce the chance of a serious illnesses, such as pneumonia
- make it less likely that you'll pass the infection on to someone else
Keep taking the antibiotics until they're finished, even if you feel better.
Things you can do yourself
You can relieve symptoms of scarlet fever by:
- drinking cool fluids
- eating soft foods to ease a sore throat
- taking painkillers like paracetamol to bring down a temperature (don't give aspirin to children under
16)
- using calamine lotion or
antihistamine tablets to stop itching
You can find information on how
to look after a sick child here.
How long scarlet fever lasts
Scarlet fever lasts for around a week.
You can spread scarlet fever to other people up to 6 days before you get symptoms until 24 hours after you take
your 1st dose of antiobotics.
If you do not take antibiotics,you can spread the infection for 2 to 3 weeks after symptoms start.
Important - if you or your child has scarlet fever, stay away from nursery, school or work for 24 hours
after taking the first dose of antibiotics.
Is scarlet fever dangerous?
Scarlet fever can be a serious illness, but thanks to antibiotics it's less common than it
used to be and easier to treat.
But cases of scarlet fever have increased in recent years. For more information see http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scarlet-fever-guidance-and-data
Complications are rare but can include:
Pregnancy advice
There's no evidence to suggest that getting scarlet fever during pregnancy will harm your baby. But it can
make you feel unwell, so it's best to avoid close contact with anyone who has it.
Contact your GP if you do get symptoms.
Many of the antibiotics used for scarlet fever are considered to be safe to take during
pregnancy.
How to avoid spreading scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is very infectious and can easily spread to other people.
To reduce the risk of spreading scarlet fever:
Do:
- wash hands often with soap and warm water
- use tissues to trap germs from coughs or sneezes
- bin used tissues as quickly as possible
Don't:
- do not share cutlery, cups, towels, clothes, bedding or baths with anyone who has symptoms of scarlet fever