Fifth disease is cased by parvovirus B19. People often confuse this with the parvovirus that infects dogs and cats. It is not the same parvovirus as your pet can catch. You have nothing to fear even if you have a pet that has been infected with parvovirus. The form found in animals can’t be transmitted to people.
Children are most often affected by fifth disease. The symptoms include a rash on the face, trunk and limbs. The rash has the look of lace. The rash on the cheeks gives the disease the nickname “slapped cheek” virus. The rash may itch, but is gone in about a week or so.
As with other childhood illnesses, the symptoms of fifth disease tend to be worse. In addition to the rash, the adult may experience pain and swelling in the joints. The symptoms tend to last longer too, from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the severity.
In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all. The CDC estimates that about one in five people have fifth disease without having any symptoms. These people tend to develop immunity even without the presence of the rash. In other cases, the rash is fairly mild and may go unnoticed or be mistaken for something else and not be treated.
By adulthood, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that fifty percent have had fifth disease. Once a person is infected with parvovirus B19, they build immunity against future outbreaks.
Women that have other young children or work in schools or day care centers are most at risk for coming in contact with fifth disease. For the vast majority of women, this is not a cause for concern. Approximately half of the pregnant women are already immune to parvovirus B19 from a previous outbreak in childhood. Most of the remaining women will have the same mild symptoms as a child.
There is risk for a small number of pregnant women. About five percent experience complications as a result of the virus. In these women, fifth disease can result in severe anemia. This can result in a miscarriage. This generally only happens in the first trimester and only in a small number of women.
The disease can be confirmed by a blood test. There is no treatment for fifth disease. It just has to run its course. The doctor may have you visit more often and monitor you and the baby until the virus has run its course. Ultrasound may be used to monitor the baby.
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