Scarlet Fever in Emergency Medicine Medication

  • Author: Jerry Balentine, DO; Chief Editor: Robert E O'Connor, MD, MPH   more...
 
Updated: Mar 19, 2010
 

Medication Summary

Treatment is aimed at providing adequate antistreptococcal antibiotic levels for at least 10 days.

The mainstay of treatment includes penicillin and erythromycin.

Tetracyclines and sulfonamides should not be used.

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Antibiotics

Class Summary

Empiric antimicrobial therapy must be comprehensive and should cover all likely pathogens in the context of the clinical setting.

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Penicillin VK (Veetids, Beepen-VK)

 

Inhibits biosynthesis of cell wall peptidoglycan and is effective during the stage of active multiplication. Inadequate concentrations may produce only bacteriostatic effects.

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Penicillin G benzathine (Bicillin L-A)

 

Interferes with synthesis of cell wall peptidoglycan during active multiplication, resulting in bactericidal activity against susceptible bacteria.

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Erythromycin (EES, E-Mycin, Ery-Tab)

 

Treatment of infections caused by susceptible strains, including streptococci.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Jerry Balentine, DO  Professor of Emergency Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine; Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Attending Physician in Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Barnabas Hospital

Jerry Balentine, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American Osteopathic Association, and New York Academy of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Daniel P Lombardi, DO  Clinical Assistant Professor, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and Clinical Instructor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University; Attending Physician and Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint Barnabas Hospital

Daniel P Lombardi, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Joseph A Salomone III, MD  Associate Professor and Attending Staff, Truman Medical Centers, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; EMS Medical Director, Kansas City, Missouri

Joseph A Salomone III, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, National Association of EMS Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Eric L Weiss, MD, DTM&H  Director of Stanford Travel Medicine, Medical Director of Stanford Lifeflight, Assistant Professor, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine

Eric L Weiss, MD, DTM&H is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Medical Association, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Southeastern Surgical Congress, Southern Association for Oncology, Southern Clinical Neurological Society, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Robert E O'Connor, MD, MPH  Professor and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Virginia Health System

Robert E O'Connor, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, Medical Society of Delaware, National Association of EMS Physicians, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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The exudative pharyngitis typical of scarlet fever. Although the tongue is somewhat out of focus, the whitish coating observed early in scarlet fever is visible.
Desquamation of the palms is a frequently observed self-limited manifestation of scarlet fever present in the healing period following resolution of the infection and acute eruption.
 
 
 
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