Erythema infectiosum in children. A Clinical study.

Erythema infectiosum is a childhood illness characterized by mild constitutional symptoms and a blotchy or maculopopular lacy rash on the cheeks (slapped - cheek) spreading primarily to the extremities and trunk. The disease is caused by human parvovirus B19. Erythema infectiosum epidemics occur in a cyclic fashion, mostly during winter and spring months. The diagnosis of erythema infectiosum is usually based on the appearance and pattern of the rash. The aim of our study was to establish the frequency and clinical characteristics of erythema infectiosum in children, in the period between 2000 and 2004 at the Institute of Child and Youth Health Care, Department of Dermatology, Novi Sad There were 0.23% of children with a clinical picture of infectious erythema. There was an outbreak of erythema infectiosum from December 2001 to September 2002. The highest number of cases was detected in April and May of 2002 from 2003 to 2004, no cases with infekctious erythema were diagnosed. The average age of injected children was 7.38. Female children were affected slightly more often than male (56.41% : 43.58%). Pruritus was detected in 10.26% of children. The most constant clinical sign was reticular exanthema on the limbs, present in 100% of cases, jollowed by 89.74% of cheek exanthema, while limb and trunk exanthema was present in 7.68% of children. Adenopathies and mild constitutional symptoms were present in 5.12% of children. No complications were recorded in any of the cases.