or scarlatina
Acute infectious disease caused by some types of streptococcus bacteria.
Fever, sore throat, headache, and, in children, vomiting are followed in two to three days by a rash. The skin peels in about one-third of cases. After a coating disappears, the tongue is swollen, red, and bumpy (strawberry tongue). Glands are usually swollen. Complications frequently involve the sinuses, ears (sometimes with mastoiditis ), and neck. Nephritis , {{link=arthritis">arthritis , or rheumatic fever may occur later. Treatment involves penicillin , bed rest, and adequate fluid intake. Scarlet fever has become uncommon and much milder since the mid-20th century, independent of the use of antibiotics.