Scarlet Fever

bacterial infection · contagious · skin rash · childhood illness

Sandpaper-like rash. Scarlet fever creates a bright red rash that feels bumpy and rough, like sandpaper against your skin. The rash usually appears on the face and body as the illness develops.

Caused by bacteria. A bacterium called Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A strep) causes scarlet fever by releasing toxins that damage tiny blood vessels in your skin.

Red bumpy tongue. One telltale sign of scarlet fever is a tongue that turns red and develops little bumps, sometimes called a 'strawberry tongue' because of how it looks.

Multiple symptoms together. Kids with scarlet fever typically experience a sore throat, high fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, along with the characteristic rash.

Harder to spot on darker skin. The bright red scarlet fever rash can be difficult to see on people with darker skin tones, which is important for doctors to remember when diagnosing the illness.