Fifth’s disease in children and role of community health officer

Fifth’s disease it is more common condition in children’s age group of 5 to 15 years old and some time it will be sever in pregnant women and individual with compromised immune system. It is also named as erythema infectiosum, slapped cheek disease and most common cause is par virus B19. This is airborne virus leads to spread through saliva and respiratory secretions among children who are in elementary school period. This condition is more common during winter, spring early summer but it may spread at any time have been happens at any age group. The most common clinical symptoms are like distinctive red rash on the face that makes a child appear to have a slapped cheek and a few days later, the rash spreads down to the trunk, arms, and legs and it usually lasts 1 to 3 weeks and along with we can see head ache, fatigue, low-grade fever, sore throat, nausea, runny nose. In this kind of conditions at community level the community health officer who is in-charge of health and wellness center must diagnose the disease by clinical examination of the child and send for the specific clinical antibody test. To have relieve from those clinical symptoms must use acetaminophen that is Tylenol and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can be administered. This treatment is usually reserved for severe, life-threatening cases. The community health officer must advice non pharmacological methods like tacking adequate rest, drinking plenty of water and adequate nutrition, supplementary fluids.