Phillip Willis
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Parents across Southeast Idaho claim their children are sick with a viral rash called “fifth disease,” more commonly known as “slap cheek.”
Slap cheek isn’t a reportable disease that the health department monitors. It’s a common virus that’s in our communities every year, infecting children between the ages of 4 and 10. It becomes more prominent during the late winter and early spring, according to the Mayo Clinic.
According to medical experts at Southeastern Idaho Public Health, slap cheek is a mild sickness. It’s caused by the parvovirus B19, and is rarely serious. It’s signaled by a bright red rash or “slapped cheek” look of the face.
Common preventative measures are usually sufficient to prevent the spread of slap cheek, which transfers from one person to another by coughing and sneezing.
“Some of the most important things you can do are washing your hands throughout the day, staying home when you’re sick, and then especially washing your hands before you eat or touch your face,” said Ian Troesoyer, Nurse Practitioner and Epidemiologist with Southeastern Idaho Public Health.
Troesoyer says no treatment is recommended, and there is no developed treatment that’s proven to make the infection less severe. He says, with slap cheek making its seasonal rounds, parents of immunocompromised children should take extra precautions.
According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus Ohio, the infection should pass on its own, but if your child has a condition that weakens their immune system, a fever greater than 102° F after treating for 3 days, or severe joint pain or swelling, contact a doctor. Keep your child home from school until the rash disappears and they have no fever. When presenting a rash, the child is no longer infectious to others, but should still be kept home in their weakened state.
Fifth disease poses a much less significant health risk to the public than measles, which has had outbreaks across the country, such as in Montana, Texas, and New Mexico.
“Idaho currently has the lowest vaccination rate for measles in the country of any state,” Troesoyer said. “We haven’t had any cases of measles yet that we know of, but it’s something that the public health departments are preparing for. Fifth disease- relatively low risk for most people.”
Fifth disease shows as more of a blush-like rash in the cheeks.
Child’s cheeks show the characteristic rash associated with fifth disease. – Image from Centers for Disease Control
According to Mayo Clinic, Measles presents as small white spots that appear in the mouth, followed by a blotchy rash that starts in the face and neck, and progresses down the body.
The child’s cheek shows the characteristic rash associated with measles. – Image from Centers for Disease Control
Fifth disease can manifest in adults, more often women than men. When it does infect adults, it’s much less likely to manifest as the typical “slapped cheek” look.
According to Cleveland Clinic, fifth disease symptoms in adults tend to be more severe, with about 80% of adults developing joint pain in their wrists, hands and knees. Visit a doctor if you have fifths disease and are pregnant or have severe joint pain.
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