Health Facts About Fifth Disease and Parvovirus B19

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fifth Disease and Parvovirus B19 are closely related, as the virus leads to the disease. This is a particular virus that only affects humans, and it can present a wide range of symptoms, notes the source. “It got its name because it was fifth in a list of historical classifications of common skin rash illnesses in children,” explains the source.

Fifth Disease strikes does in fact strike children in particular, and while it’s not often serious, it can appear that way. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautions and seek treatment if needed, so let’s take a closer look at 12 facts about this condition…

1. First Things to Know About The Fifth

This viral illness is also known as “erythema infectiosum,” and it’s something most kids will recover from relatively quickly, according to KidsHealth.org. It most commonly strikes children between the ages of 5 and 15, it adds.

This infection of the airway and lungs can be confused with some also illnesses as it involves a low-grade fever, headache and mild cold-like symptoms, but perhaps the biggest telltale symptom is the bright red rash on the face, it adds. This rash can manifest as smaller blotches on the torso, arms and legs, and it can be itchy.