Promote good hand washing and other hygienic measures in the home. Scarlet fever is a disease caused by Group A Streptococci. The disease is most commonly associated with sore throat and found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person. Scarlet fever and streptococcal sore throat can occur in people of all ages, but it is most frequent among school-aged children. Scarlet fever usually results from direct contact with a person who has active streptococcal sore throat or through large respiratory droplets during coughing or sneezing.
Scarlet fever is characterized by a sandpaper like rash.
The rash appears most often on the neck, chest, in folds under the arm, elbow, and groin and on inner surfaces of the thighs. Typically, the scarlet fever rash does not involve the face, but there is flushing of the cheeks and paleness around the lips. High fever, nausea and vomiting often accompany severe infections. Scarlet fever may occur from one to three days after exposure to an infected individual. Immunity against the scarlet fever rash develops within a week after onset of Scarlet Fever and is usually permanent.