Scarlet fever facts for kids

Scarlet fever is an infectious disease that is caused by bacteria. It is caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. It was once a major cause of death. It is now treated with antibiotics. The term scarlatina can be used to mean scarlet fever. Scarlatina is a lesser form of scarlet fever. At the early times, this disease could not be cured and this was a common reason for death in that time which applies to many famous people of the world.

Images for kids

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  Characteristic strawberry tongue of scarlet fever

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  Red cheeks and pale area around the mouth in scarlet fever

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  Streptococcus pyogenes (pictured)

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  Bad Füssing, Germany: Memorial to the local innkeeper's three children, who all died during a local wave of scarlet fever in 1858-59

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  Otto Kalischer wrote a doctoral thesis on scarlet fever in 1891.

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  A 1930s American poster attempting to curb the spread of such diseases as scarlet fever by regulating milk supply

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  Gladys Henry Dick (pictured) and George Frederick Dick developed an antitoxin and vaccine for scarlet fever in 1924 which were later eclipsed by penicillin in the 1940s.

See also

In Spanish: Escarlatina para niños