Some Exanthematous Viruses
Major Clinical Syndromes | Prevalence and Distribution | Specific Therapy | Specific Prevention* |
|---|---|---|---|
Rubeola virus | |||
Encephalomyelitis Central nervous system involvement (rare) | Global Prevalence increasing due to decrease in vaccination | None | Vaccines |
Rubella virus | |||
Birth defects due to infection during pregnancy | Universal | None | Vaccines |
Human parvovirus B19 | |||
Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) Rash (red rash on cheeks more common in children), malaise, arthritis (polyarthropathy more common in adults) Hydrops fetalis (infection during pregnancy) Anemia (transient aplastic crisis in immunocompromised hosts or patients with hemoglobinopathies) | Sporadic outbreaks | IV immune globulin (for severe anemia) | None |
Human herpesvirus type 6 | |||
Roseola infantum (exanthem subitum) | Widespread Affects young children | None | None |
Varicella-zoster virus | |||
Before vaccine, almost universal in children, occasionally in adults | Immune globulins, vaccine | ||
Common in adults, resulting from reactivation of latent virus | Vaccine | ||
Pox viruses | |||
Smallpox (variola virus) | Natural disease eradicated | Vaccine | |
Global outbreak in 2022 Person-to-person transmission occurs through prolonged close contact | Vaccines Avoiding direct physical contact with infected individuals | ||
Alphaviruses (some) | |||
Chikungunya disease (acute febrile illness followed by more chronic polyarthritis) | Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes Africa, Southeast Asia, India, Europe, the Americas | None | None |
Mayaro disease (a dengue-like disease) | Mosquito-borne South America, Trinidad, Haiti | None | None |
Ross River virus disease (epidemic polyarthritis) | Aedes mosquitoes Australia, Papua New Guinea, South Pacific | None | None |
Molluscum contagiosum virus | |||
Molluscum contagiosum papules | Genital (adults) Exposed skin (children) More severe (AIDS patients) | Cryotherapy, curettage | None |
* Nonspecific precautions (eg, avoidance of infected patients and insect and animal vectors, routine hygiene measures) are also recommended. | |||
† Based on animal studies. | |||