• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Fifth disease

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Parvovirus B19; Erythema infectiosum; Slapped cheek

Symptoms:

• Rash
  • First appears on the cheeks, often looks like "slapped cheeks"
  • Spreads to the arms and legs about 1 day later, often has a "lacy" appearance
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Temporary anemia -- this is only serious if the patient has a immune system problem and some other, existing form of anemia

Signs and tests:

Fifth disease causes a very distinct rash. Your health care provider will examine the appearance and pattern of the rash. This is usually all that is needed to make a diagnosis.

Blood tests that look for antibodies against parvovirus B19 may indicate infection. However, these tests are usually not needed, although they may be helpful in the diagnosis of aplastic crisis and persistent anemia.

Testing may also be done when there is a question of whether a pregnant woman has been exposed to the virus.

• Review Date: 8/18/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.