What causes scarlet fever?
Scarlet fever is caused by streptococcal (strep) bacteria, the same bacteria that cause strep throat. There are many different strains of strep bacteria, some of which cause more serious illness than others. The type of strep that infects the throat and causes scarlet fever is called group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABS). What are the symptoms of scarlet fever? Symptoms that may occur before the rash include: • Fever of 101 F or higher. • Sore throat and difficulty swallowing. • White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and tonsils. • Swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Other symptoms, especially in children, may include general body aches, headache, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, or listlessness. Scarlet fever usually doesn’t occur with cold symptoms, such as sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, or cough. Red spots begin to appear on the roof of the mouth (palate) about 2 to 3 days after symptoms first appear. Bright red spots may appear on the tongue, giving it an appearance calle
