know your childhood infections!

Question 1

What causes :

• Fever initially
• Itchy, rash starting on head/trunk before spreading.
• Initially macular then papular then vesicular
• Systemic upset is usually mild

Answer 1

Chickenpox

Question 2

What causes:

• Prodrome: irritable, conjunctivitis, fever
• Koplik spots: white spots (‘grain of salt’) on buccal mucosa
• Rash: starts behind ears then to whole body, discrete maculopapular rash becoming blotchy & confluent

Answer 2

Measles

Question 3

What causes:

• Fever, malaise, muscular pain
• Parotitis (‘earache’, ‘pain on eating’): unilateral initially then becomes bilateral in 70%

Answer 3

Mumps

Question 4

What causes:

• Rash: pink maculopapular, initially on face before spreading to whole body, usually fades by the 3-5 day
• Lymphadenopathy: suboccipital and postauricular

Answer 4

Rubella

Question 5

What causes:

• Also known as fifth disease or ‘slapped-cheek syndrome’
• Caused by parvovirus B19
• Lethargy, fever, headache
• ‘Slapped-cheek’ rash spreading to proximal arms and extensor surfaces

Answer 5

Erythema infectiosum

Question 6

What causes:

• A reaction to erythrogenic toxins produced by Group A haemolytic streptococci
• Fever, malaise, tonsillitis
• ‘Strawberry’ tongue
• Rash - fine punctate erythema sparing face

Answer 6

Scarlet fever

Question 7

What is:

• Caused by the coxsackie A16 virus
• Mild systemic upset: sore throat, fever
• Vesicles in the mouth and on the palms and soles of the feet

Answer 7

Hand, foot and mouth disease