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; if < 72 hrs post-exposure, vaccine; if < 6 days, immune globulins | Vaccines |
Rubella virus | |||
Birth defects due to infection during pregnancy | Global prior to vaccine | 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) | Global; sporadic outbreaks | IV immune globulin (for severe anemia) | None |
Human herpesvirus type 6 | |||
Roseola infantum (exanthem subitum) | Global Affects young children | None | None |
Varicella-zoster virus | |||
Before vaccine, almost global in children, occasionally in adults | Acyclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir; varicella vaccine within 3 days post-exposure; or varicella-zoster immunoglobulinAcyclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir; varicella vaccine within 3 days post-exposure; or varicella-zoster immunoglobulin | Immune globulins, vaccine | |
Common in adults, resulting from reactivation of latent virus | Acyclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir; see chickenpox for post-exposure treatmentAcyclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir; see chickenpox for post-exposure treatment | Vaccine | |
Pox viruses | |||
Smallpox (variola virus) | Natural disease eradicated | Cidofovir†Cidofovir† Smallpox vaccine up to 4 days after exposureSmallpox vaccine up to 4 days after exposure | Vaccine Cidofovir†Cidofovir† |
Global outbreak in 2022 | Cidofovir, tecovirimat, vaccinia immune globulinCidofovir, tecovirimat, vaccinia immune globulin | Vaccines | |
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, Central America, Caribbean | 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 (patients with late-stage HIV) | Cryotherapy, curettage | None |
* Nonspecific precautions (eg, avoidance of infected patients and insect and animal vectors, routine hygiene measures, and use of appropriate personal protective equipment) are also recommended. | |||
† Based on animal studies. | |||