Roseola Infantum Follow-up

  • Author: Stephen W White, MD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 26, 2012
 

Further Inpatient Care

  • Inpatient care for roseola infantum consists of support with antipyretics and treatment of gastroenterologic, respiratory, hematologic, or CNS complications.
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Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

  • Antipyretics and attention to hydration are important supportive measures in the care of a young child with high fever.
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Deterrence/Prevention

  • Because seroconversion in the United States is nearly 100%, isolation is not indicated. The infection is spread through saliva in both the acute phase and the chronic phase.
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Complications

  • In roseola infantum, complications are rare. Given that seroconversion is practically universal, finding any of the complications that have been reported in the gastrointestinal, central nervous, pulmonary, and hematopoietic systems is rare.
  • Children who have seizures with roseola are not expected to have further febrile or nonfebrile seizures.
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Prognosis

  • Practically all patients who are immunocompetent survive roseola infantum without sequelae.
  • In patients who are immunosuppressed, multisystem complications are not unusual. Infection may be chronic, leading to viral progression and death.
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Patient Education

  • In the case of an otherwise healthy infant with roseola infantum, educating the parents is important to alleviate anxiety about the hyperpyrexia and possible associated seizure.
  • In patients who are immunocompromised, the complexity of overlapping signs and symptoms with other viral syndromes and parasitic and fungal infections must be explained.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Children's Health Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Skin Rashes in Children.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Stephen W White, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, George Washington University Hospital; Chief, Sub-section of Dermatology, Suburban Hospital

Stephen W White, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, International Society of Dermatology, Society for Investigative Dermatology, and Society for Pediatric Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Christopher R Gorman, MD  Bethesda Dermatology, Private Practice; Assistant Clinical Professor, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Staff Dermatologist, National Naval Medical Center

Christopher R Gorman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Franklin Flowers, MD  Chief, Division of Dermatology, Professor, Department of Medicine and Otolaryngology, Affiliate Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Florida College of Medicine

Franklin Flowers, MD, is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard P Vinson, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA

Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Paul Krusinski, MD  Director of Dermatology, Fletcher Allen Health Care; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine

Paul Krusinski, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous Chief Editor, William D. James, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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