Any medics around? Suspected Scarlet Fever but no antibiotics?

[pofacedandproud]

Ds came down with temperature and very sore throat last Monday. By Wednesday he had a pimply rash all over his torso and on his cheeks. Took him to gp who said it could be Scarlet Fever and took a swab. He is now well in himself though tired but has not been at school as they wanted the swab result first. Swab results say 'no significant growth' and doc says it could have been a mild case of Scarlet Fever but as he's well not antibiotics are not necessary. I'm worried about the complication of Rheumatic Fever if not treated with antibiotics. He still has the pimply rash though it is slightly improved. Any advice please? Really don't know what to do.

[DarrellRivers]

Scarlet fever is normally very diagnosable clinically, they are really red all over with a sand paper type rash which is redder in the creases in the armpits or the groin, plus fever and a tongue which has a strawberry exudate voila
If he didn't have a good going clinical picture and he had a negative swab, I reckon he most likely didn't have it.
However, his own dr is the person who saw him so it is difficult to discuss this over the net as we don't have all the facts in that we haven't seen him.

[pofacedandproud]

I know it is just his own doctor said the rash and sore throat could be Scarlet Fever, but they'd never know for sure as the swab had no significant growth. She said it was a mild case and not antibiotics are needed. I don't really know where to go from that. It is a very pimply rash so I don't know what else it could have been.

[pofacedandproud]

I don't think he had the strawberry tongue. What else can produce a pimply rash?

[DarrellRivers]

No significant growth means that it didn't grow any Streptococcus bacteria ie a negative swab.
If he had scarlet fever it would have most likely grown some bacteria ie a positive result

[pofacedandproud]

ok thanks. All very strange. no idea what he had.

[pofacedandproud]

his skin was covered in tiny red spots. I don' think he had a red tongue. As doc said it might have been scarlet fever I am a bit worried.

[pofacedandproud]

I read that 10% of cases test negative for streptococcus in a swab. he still has the awful rash. The gp gave a prescription for antibiotics in case he felt worse but said they weren't necessary if he felt well. Maybe I should give them to be on the safe side? Sorry to go on but it is a dramatic rash and really worried about rheumatic fever. Anyone know?

[pofacedandproud]

bump

[WilfSell]

Hi pofaced,

2 of my kids were diagnosed with this back in May. No swabbing in our neck of woods, just clinical diagnosis. GP gave the son with worst rash some ABs as a precaution. But not all symptoms present. I am no medic but this ran on from a horrible chesty, vomity, feverish virus.

I am still convinced this was our dose of swine flu with subsequent complications but who knows.

I can't offer any advice but I do understand how you feel, we worried about complications too but our GP said there was strep going round and 'it seemed quite mild'. This seemed odd to me because I thought it was a bacterial infection which is presumably always around?

[PardonMyClench]

rheumatic fever is rare and requires a specific reaction to a specific form of strep. V unlikely with or without antibiotics.Ipersonally would not take anti-biotics for mild strep throat. sore throat and rash much more likely to be viral

[alypaly]

alot of strep rashes look pimply and many viral problems can cause a pimply erythematous rash all over the body. it often accompanies a raised temp.

[pofacedandproud]

Thanks for replies! This morning he woke up with very sore throat and swollen glands and his neck hurting. So back of to doctors who said it was yet another viral infection. As he has been at home all week and neither dh nor I nor baby ill this seems odd. I wonder if it is a relapse of last illness. All very strange and he is still off school, missed his nativity today.

Doctor cross with us because he has not had a booster yet, it was booked but because he has been so ill this term he hasn't had it yet. Said it could be mumps, measles or rubella but then went on to say it couldn't be as all other children are immunized. It doesn't look like a measles or rubella rash to me from mad googling.

Reassuring to know that antibiotics not always needed with mild scarlet fever, thanks Wilf and Pardon.
Alypaly, are there other strep rashes that are not scarlet fever then?

[pofacedandproud]

back off to doctors...

[pofacedandproud]

I think I am going to give him the antibiotics to be on the safe side. Seems stupid to give them when he had a negative throat culture, but can't understand why is he ill again today. is that a stupid thing to do?

[AtheneNoctua]

DS has scarlet fever last year. When he had the little bumps/rash I feared it could be rubella. Then his tongue turned white with little red dots, his face turned RED, and the area above his top lip turned white and the nanny came down with a bad sore throat. So she had strep and he had scarlet fever. No one else got anything.

Without the red face and white area above lip and tongue, I would probably not assume scarlet fever.

When you say antibiotic, are you referring to penniscilan (sp?)?

[WilfSell]

DS1 and 2 both had very red cheeks and very white nose/mouth area with scarlet fever: it's really noticeable as Athene says. There was almost a line between the red and white areas...

[pofacedandproud]

Yes he had very, very red cheeks. And white above the lips and white chin. His skin is now very dry and flaky, the doctor commented on it, but still thought it was not scarlet fever as swab negative. As his glands are now swollen and his temp up again and he is again complaining of a sore throat, I am really quite concerned. The original doctor who saw him said give him the antibiotics if he got worse again, but this other doc said it was just a separate viral infection. Aaaargh. I hate giving antibiotics but very tempted as this is all very strange and I feel he can't throw whatever it is off. At this rate he'll miss the whole last two weeks of school.

[pofacedandproud]

Yes doc originally gave him prescription for penicillin. I was interested that she said it could have been a mild case of scarlet fever even without positive throat culture. That is what has got me worried. She's not in the surgery today though.

[noddyholder]

well I had post scarlet fever complications and although v rare I would insist on anti biotics if it was my ds.My ds came back from a school trip with rash andope you all make a speedy recovery x strawberry tongue and I insisted GP wanted to wait and see but I couldn't risk it.It is v rare though so h

[noddyholder]

Sorry my keyboard and mouse keep doing this

[pofacedandproud]

Did you noddy? Is your heart ok? I feel so torn, knowing the throat culture negative but whatever he has is pretty dramatic and hard to fight off. I think I might get the antibiotics today just for peace of mind.

[noddyholder]

I don't think the severity is the issue.I think and I hope a nurse or doc can verify that a problem in my immune system which already existed caused my immune response.Most people do not get this and the doctors told me my ds was no more likely to get it than anyone else but I just panicked tbh.I had post strep kidney and heart problems.

[noddyholder]

throat culture negative is v good news!Post strep is the usual diagnosis xx

[pofacedandproud]

sorry you had that noddy, that sounds scary. Yes, the negative swab is good news. If he hadn't been ill again today with swollen glands and sore throat I would have left it. But i just feel now he is ill again, this is not just a new virus, this is a resurgence of what he had last week. He usually fights things off very quickly.