Antibiotic therapy is aimed at eradicating streptococci from the respiratory tract. Scarlet fever is a disease caused by Group A B-hemolytic streptococci. The disease is most commonly associated with a sore throat and is 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 spread 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, scarlet fever's 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 scarlet fever's rash develops within a week after onset of scarlet fever and is usually permanent.