Scarlet Fever: A Bacterial Infection

Scarlet fever or scarlatina is a bacterial infection that can develop from strep throat. The infection is most commonly accompanied by a severe red rash and a high fever. When left untreated, scarlet fever can contribute to conditions such as rheumatic fever and pneumonia. Although scarlet fever is uncommon now, due to the advancement of antibiotics, it was widespread in the nineteenth century when scarlet fever epidemics caused multitudes of fear and suffering. Today, people are unfamiliar with what the disease is and what causes it.
Scarlet fever is caused by the bacteria streptococci, the same bacteria that causes strep throat. Not everyone who has strep throat goes on to develop scarlet fever. It is highly contagious, and it is spread