Fifth disease
Classification & external resources
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| Toddler with "slapped cheek" characteristic of the fifth disease. |
| ICD-10 |
B08.3 |
| ICD-9 |
057.0 |
Fifth disease is also referred to as erythema infectiosum (meaning infectious redness) and as slapped cheek syndrome, slap face or slapped face.
In 1975 its cause was discovered to be Parvovirus B19.
The bright red cheeks are a defining symptom of the infection in children (hence the name "slapped cheek disease"), but the rash will not extend over the bridge of the nose or around the mouth. In addition to the red cheeks, children often develop a red, lacy rash on the rest of the body, with the upper arms and legs being the most common locations. Teenagers and adults may present with a self-limited arthritis. Babies can turn purple.
Patients are usually no longer infectious once the characteristic rash of this disease has appeared. Any age may be affected although it is most common in children aged five to fourteen years. By the time adulthood is reached about half the population will have become immune following infection at some time in their past. Outbreaks can arise especially in nurseries and schools.
The disease is usually mild, but it does have the ability to cause some serious problems: it is associated with spontaneous abortion in pregnant women, and with transient aplastic crisis in persons with chronic hemolytic anemia. Primary infection in the first trimester has been linked to hydrops fetalis. The rash can last a couple of weeks (some cases lasting for several months) and may itch.
The name fifth disease stems from the fact that when diseases causing childhood exanthemata (rashes) were enumerated, it was the fifth listed. The other four exanthematous childhood diseases are: scarlet fever (strep), German measles (rubella), Baby measles (roseola) and Hard measles (rubeola).
