To think that scarlet fever is a disease I thought was pretty much eradicated in the U.K.?

[Gide]

Am I being naive? All of a friend’s 3 children are just getting over it (north east) Mum’s hairdresser also had it. I can’t remember ever hearing anyone else having it, bar my mum as a child who is now in her 80s.

I knew a few when kids were younger.

It's caused by a bog standard streptococcus bacteria, so no, won't die out any time soon, sorry.

It's back. DD had it last year. It's horrid but responded well to antibiotics.

And it is now a much less severe disease than it used to be AND we have effective antibiotics now, but it is a word that still strikes fear in to people's heart.

I’ve just google pictures, didn’t see the children when they had it, I’m miles away, it looks extremely uncomfortable. Bless them, all thee at once!

three

Mum says she was in an isolation ward for 3 weeks when she had it! She must have had complications.

I had it twice as a teenager

I think it's more prevalent than people realise.

It used to be a much nastier disease tgan it is now, but it's still definitely doing the rounds! I had it c.1989.

It's quite common round these parts. I know a few kids who've had it.

Not eradicated at all, usually an outbreak round here every year or two.
The reason we don't hear about it so much is it's much less serious Tha it was when it was a killer. Firstly antibiotics, secondly there is a thought that it's mutated to be generally less deadly.
However with the latter statement there is obviously a risk it mutates again...

My girls had it. Neither showed signs of being very ill at all. In fact the only reason I realised it was and went to the Dr was because it was in the middle of an outbreak. Otherwise I'd have thought it was fairly mild tonsillitis with a viral rash.

Scarlet fever is strep throat isn't it??

Not likely to get gone any time soon. Streptococcus is very at home in the community.

edition.cnn.com/2017/11/27/health/scarlet-fever-mystery-study/index.html

Interesting. Upsurge here and Asia.

YABU.
It’s never been eridicated it just isn’t life threatening now.
My 17 year old had it twice as a child. My 8 year old had it without us noticing until her fingers started peeling and the pharmacist asked “has she had a sore throat” and we said yes... but as she was prone to viral rashes and has bad skin often anyway we hadn’t noticed.

DD had it when she was two. I didn't know it was still around...

The bacteria will always be there, we have just went through a couple of decades when it was in a really mild form.

Unfortunately this is coming to an end. I would strongly advise to check for sore throats with white spots, as that's usually it's most prevalent form. That is the one sore throat that really needs antibiotics, penicillin preferably and so far it hasn't shown even a mite of resistance, so no fear from that corner.

Problem begins when this kind of sore throat isn't treated and a sibling/nursery mate picks it up and spreads it around without symptoms, because then it develops it's scarlet fever form.

Anyhow, the bad form when untreated, either as sore throat or scarlet fever can leave a now almost forgotten consequence of rheumatoid fever with damage to the heart and joints. Think Beth March from Little women.

Now that it is gearing up again, I'd recommend being alert to it.

My dd had it last year. Antibiotics sorted it out quickly but she did feel quite ill for a few days.
I was surprised when she was diagnosed. I hadn't heard of it for years.

Currently sweeping through my child’s school like wild fire. Public health England even sent letters to all parents. Every class has up to 10 kids out with it. Most seem on mend within a few days- but. Or good for anyone with compromised immune system.

My three children all had it last year. We are in South West Scotland

I had it as a young child, I'm in my 30's. Had to be admitted to seafield children's hospital in Ayr as I was very I'll. It's not so common now but it is still most definitely around!

I'm in Scotland and have known a few to have it too.

Is it all up north currently?

Dd has it a couple of years ago, when she was 4. 24 hrs of antibiotics and she was fine. (Obviously we yinisged the course). Several of her Nursery friends had it at the same time.

I had it early last year; I caught it from a friend. She had more severe symptoms than me, but neither of us was particularly ill. I was 50 at the time, she was 27. We were told to stay home and take ibuprofen until the rash had gone.