roseola (exanthem subitum, 6th disease)

Etiology

• human herpesvirus type-6
• human herpesvirus type-7

Epidemiology

• generally affects children < 3 years of age
• oral shedding probable route of disease transmission

Pathology

• may persist chronically in salivary gland tissue in some hosts

Clinical manifestations

• fever
  • high, spiking fevers lasting 3-7 days in an otherwise well-appearing child
• diffuse maculopapular rash (sparing face) appears after resolution of fever
• rash resolves within 2 days

* images

More general terms

• viral infection
• childhood exanthem (numbered diseases)

Additional terms

• Dukes disease (4th disease)
• erythema infectiosum (5th disease)
• Herpes virus infection
• measles (1st disease)
• rubella (German measles, 3rd disease)
• scarlet fever (2nd disease)