San José, Costa Rica. August, 2015.

A “common flu”, accompanied of fever, pain when swallowing and later appearance of fine rash which gives the skin a texture of sandpaper (sometimes it appears before the fever), and in some cases with the presence of the “raspberry tongue”, that is red with tiny dots, could be scarlet fever.

This illness is contagious from people who are bearers of group A streptococcus, that they have in their noses and mouths, and the contact with saliva or contaminated mucus can be the origin of the infection (for example, when breathing tiny drops that result when sneezing).

According to Dr. Miguel Boza Hernández, internist physician of the Clínica Bíblica Hospital, “the most exposed population are children between 5 and 12 years-old, but anyone can contract it and, although the clinical characteristics are of great help to diagnose it, it is preferable to confirm the presence of the group A streptococcus in the throat of the patients, since the bacteria and virus may present similar clinical pictures.

For the treatment of scarlet fever antibiotics are used. The most used ones are penicillin.

In some cases, cardiac or sever kidney complications may occur. “The best way to avoid them is with a timely consultation. As soon as you experience the symptoms mentioned, go to the doctor, since a timely treatment reduces the risk as an agent capable of contagion of other close persons,” commented Dr. Boza.

The best remedy is prevention. Use the recommended techniques when sneezing or coughing, adequate hand washing and avoid sharing cutlery or personal use articles with sick people. Avoid exposing the affected persons to contact with healthy persons up to at least 24 hours of having initiated the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.

For further information or for requesting medical attention, please call the number 2522-1000, or write to the email citas@clinicabiblica.com or contact us via chat at the website: www.clinicabiblica.com.