Scarlet Fever: All You Need to Know

"If your child has a sore throat and a rash, it may be scarlet fever (also called scarlatina). Your child’s doctor can do a quick strep test to find out. If your child has scarlet fever, antibiotics can help your child feel better faster and prevent long-term health problems. Antibiotics can also help protect others from getting sick.

Bacteria Cause Scarlet Fever

Bacteria called group A Streptococcus or group A strep cause scarlet fever. The bacteria sometimes make a poison (toxin), which causes a rash — the “scarlet” of scarlet fever

How You Get Scarlet Fever

Group A strep live in the nose and throat and can easily spread to other people. It is important to know that all infected people do not have symptoms or seem sick. People who are infected spread the bacteria by coughing or sneezing, which creates small respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria.

People can get sick if they:

• Breathe in those droplets
• Touch something with droplets on it and then touch their mouth or nose
• Drink from the same glass or eat from the same plate as a sick person
• Touch sores on the skin caused by group A strep (impetigo)

Rarely, people can spread group A strep through food that is not handled properly (visit CDC’s food safety page). Experts do not believe pets or household items, like toys, spread these bacteria.."
Scarlet fever