Scarlet fever in adults: symptoms, treatment. Symptoms of scarlet fever in adults

Scarlet fever has long been considered a childhood disease. After all, it often affects children under 10 years old. Very rarely an ailment occurs in newborns. However, in today's world there is scarlet fever in adults. Symptoms of the disease can resemble angina or pharyngitis, which is quite often confused with other diseases.

Source of the disease

Scarlet fever in children, in adults , has a bacterial nature. Symptoms, treatment of ailment are directly related to this feature. After all, it is caused by group A streptococcus, which affects the respiratory system. You can get infected from a patient who fell ill no more than three weeks ago.

The epidemic of scarlet fever among children is most often observed in the winter. This is due to the fact that the defenses of the body at this time are reduced. The first symptoms of the disease after infection, perhaps, will show up after a couple of hours, but can also in a week. If the immunity is strong, then the ailment can make itself felt only in about ten days.

Causes of the disease

Why does scarlet fever occur in adults? Causes, symptoms, treatment of scarlet fever, which arose in the older generation, are almost the same as in children.

Thus, the main sources of infection are sick people:

1. Those who have scarlet fever, angina or streptococcal pharyngitis. In the early days, people are particularly contagious.
2. Recovering after a streptococcal infection. It can be dangerous to others for another three weeks.
3. In 15% of people, streptococci can be in the nasopharynx. However, they themselves do not get sick, but others can infect.

How is the infection transmitted?

Now we know what causes such an ailment as scarlet fever in adults, the reasons. Symptoms, treatment of the disease require increased attention. After all, the ailment is very contagious. Scarlet fever is transmitted by airborne droplets. When a person sneezes or coughs, particles of saliva with bacteria are released into the air and can get into the nasopharynx of a healthy person. Also, infection can occur through bedding, toys, dishes or food. Infection can be transmitted to the child from the mother during childbirth.

Scarlet fever is transmitted in four main ways:

1. Air-drop method - from sick to healthy when communicating. For example, among children this way is very common. When a patient coughs or just talks, small droplets can get on the mucous membrane of a healthy person. The infection settles on the tonsils. They begin to develop toxins, which then spread throughout the body, including lymph nodes.
2. The household way - the patient touches the objects, leaving there traces of saliva or mucus discharge. Despite the fact that the bacteria no longer have this strength, getting on the surrounding objects, but the infection can still happen. Acquired on the mucosa of a healthy person, the bacterium is fixed there and multiplies. Disinfecting measures will also help to protect furniture.
3. Nutritional is when bacteria somehow got into food and multiplied there. Most often this happens with dairy products that can not be heat treated. A man eats it and becomes infected. Bacteria settle on the mucosa, and scarlet fever develops. In this regard, measures are being taken to detect infection among cooks and other workers in the food industry.
4. Due to damage to the skin - the infection penetrates through any wounds, including postnatal injuries. At the site of infection, bacteria multiply. With these are associated rashes and inflammation of the lymph nodes next to the affected area.

Signs of the disease in adults

Most often scarlet fever affects children. Young people 19-20 years old already have immunity against this disease. However, cases of infection in more adult people are documented. This is possible if they spend a lot of time in enclosed premises with a crowd of people, in dormitories or in barracks.

Today, most often the symptoms of scarlet fever in adults completely exclude a rash. The ailment is more like pharyngitis. Often the signs are not very pronounced, and the diagnosis is difficult.

Scarlet fever in adults, the symptoms of which are taken for angina, is acute. Bacteria most often occupy the nasopharynx. An external sign of the disease is a very red sky and language. The list of symptoms of scarlet fever is not limited to this:

• Acute pain in the throat, especially when swallowing;
• White-yellow coating on the tonsils, pus and ulcers;
• An increase in the size and inflammation of the lymph nodes under the jaw ;
• Signs of intoxication;
• Body temperature up to 40 °;
• Lethargy and pain in the head;
• Nausea and vomiting at the initial stage of the disease.

These symptoms of scarlet fever in adults appear due to the spread of toxins in the body. At the same time the skin is dry, with an itchy rash. Its main features:

• The first rash appears on the face;
• The skin under the nose and up to the chin turns pale;
• Most of the rash is concentrated above the pubis, as well as in the folds of the body;
• After clicking, a white trace appears, which lasts 15-20 seconds;
• Sometimes the rash may become bluish due to hemorrhages under the skin.

Streptococcal infection enters the body through wounds or burns. The rash is centered around them. Lymph nodes function as body filters, so in the lesion they become large and painful to press. There are accumulated toxins.

Duration of the incubation period

From the moment of infection in the body to the manifestation of the first symptoms, some time passes. It is called the incubation period, the disease in this case is hidden. Regardless of what starts scarlet fever in adults, the symptoms are almost invisible. This is due to the low concentration of the virus in the body at this time.

The incubation period with scarlet fever can last up to 12 days, but more often - 2-7. Everything depends on the amount of the virus that has got into the body, and the state of health.

Infection actively multiplies on mucous membranes. Immunity fights against it, first successfully, then all the worse. Antibodies begin to be developed to kill bacteria. At some point the amount of the virus becomes critical. Toxins, which secrete streptococci, poison the body and reduce protective forces. The immune system does not cope with the infection, and then the only way out is the beginning of treatment.

Antibiotics against scarlet fever

Fight with the disease should be started immediately, as soon as the first, characterizing such a disease as scarlet fever, symptoms. Treatment in adults is based on antibiotics. Only they are effective enough to resist this infection.

Depending on the degree of disease apply:

• An easy degree - use preparations of a macrolide or penicillin group in the form of pills or suspensions for the treatment of children. Medicines are taken for ten days.
• An average degree - prescribe drugs penicillin series in the form of intramuscular injections. The course of treatment is also ten days.
• Severe degree - in this case, use cephalosporins I-II generation in the form of intravenous injections for 10-14 days.

In order to recover more intensively, use a whole complex of different means.

Therapy with other medications

Along with antibiotics, the patient can also be prescribed:

1. Antihistamines - to remove signs of allergies, as well as complications. They can arise due to hypersensitivity to some medications.
2. Means of reducing temperature - to calm acute pain in the head and lower body temperature.
3. Vascular medications - to protect and strengthen blood vessels from infection damage.
4. Prophylactic drugs are medicines that will purify mucous membranes from bacteria.
5. If the patient's condition is too severe, then he can do droppers, injecting solutions of salt or glucose intravenously. This will accelerate the establishment of water-salt metabolism and contribute to the rapid elimination of toxins.

Physiotherapy

If a doctor diagnoses scarlet fever in adults, symptoms and treatment require an integrated approach. Therefore, along with medications, physiotherapy can be recommended. Such measures will help get rid of the sore throat that accompanies scarlet fever, and will clear the tonsils from streptococci. Therapy includes the following procedures:

• Irradiation of glands with the help of UV rays, which destroy proteins in bacteria and destroy them.
• SMV-therapy of tonsils.
• Magnetolaser therapy for improving blood circulation and activating immunity.
• UHF-therapy to eliminate inflammation and ulcer healing.
• KUF-therapy destroys bacteria and cleanses the tonsils.

Conclusion

It should be remembered that the ailment is highly contagious. Therefore, if scarlet fever begins in adults whose symptoms are very similar to other diseases, it should immediately begin to fight it. To avoid contamination of close people, the patient should be isolated if possible.