The first-stage symptoms are headache, body ache, sore throat, mild fever and chills. These symptoms last for two to three days. In the second stage, there are no symptoms at all for up to a week. In the third stage, children get a bright red rash on their cheeks that looks almost like slap marks. Fifth Disease is usually mild and both children and adults get better without any problems.
Some people have no symptoms and never even feel sick.
Persons with sickle cell disease, HIV, leukemia, etc. Fifth Disease is not known to cause birth defects. However, women who get Fifth Disease while they are pregnant may have a miscarriage or still birth. Therefore, women who get Fifth Disease while they are pregnant should be closely watched by their doctors or midwives. The virus that causes Fifth Disease lives in the nose and throat and is sprayed into the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks.