Fifth Disease

Generality

Fifth disease - also known as infectious erythema or epidemic megaloerythema - is an acute infectious disease triggered by Parvovirus B19.

Particularly contagious and typical of children of primary school age, fifth disease is responsible for a characteristic erythema on the arms, legs and cheeks, as well as for more nonspecific symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, mild fever (low-grade fever), ache. throat and nausea.
In the vast majority of patients, fifth disease resolves spontaneously, without problems and without noteworthy consequences; proof of this is the fact that many adults affected by the fifth disease at an early age say they do not remember this infectious disease and the extent of its symptoms.
Fifth disease does not require any special treatment, as it heals spontaneously within 1-3 weeks.
The prognosis is excellent.

What is the fifth disease?

Fifth disease is an infectious disease of viral origin, with an acute and somewhat contagious course, which typically affects children of primary school age.
Known to cause a characteristic erythema in the arms, legs and cheeks, fifth disease represents - along with rubella, measles and sixth disease - a major cause of virus-related childhood rashes.