Scarlet fever

For a lay person:

Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection, mostly in children, caused by the same bacteria as strep throat. It causes a sore throat, fever and a red, rough rash, and is easily treated with antibiotics.

For a trained medical person:

Caused by toxin-producing group A Streptococcus, with pharyngitis and a diffuse erythematous sandpaper rash, circumoral pallor, strawberry tongue and later desquamation; complications include rheumatic fever, glomerulonephritis and invasive group A streptococcal disease. Diagnosis is clinical with throat swab culture or rapid antigen test. Treatment is antibiotics, usually penicillin or amoxicillin, with exclusion from school until treated; it is notifiable in some countries.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Evil Pathogen Attacking the Lung and Wei; Toxins Accumulate and Congested at Qi Level; Scorching Qi and Ying Levels; Residual Evil Pathogens Damaged Yin; Mild Type; Poisoning Type; Toxic Pus Type; Furthermore, one should also treat complications of the main sy ndrome: Myocarditis; Arthritis; Glomerulonephritis. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: See a doctor for antibiotics if you suspect scarlet fever, and get urgent care for difficulty breathing, a very high fever, drowsiness, dehydration or painful swollen skin. It needs antibiotics and Chinese medicine is adjunctive at most.