Communicable/Contagious Conditions

Fifth Disease:

This mild viral disease is characterized by a red or pink, slightly raised eruption on the cheeks (appearing like a slapped face). Sometimes it is preceded by a low-grade fever and occasionally joint pain. A lacy or mottled pattern rash on the arms or legs usually follows. The rash is most noticeable when the child becomes overheated or takes a warm bath. It may last from several days to several weeks. Exclusion from school is not necessary. There is no treatment. If a pregnant woman is exposed to a child with fifth disease, she should check with her doctor for advice.

Impetigo:

This skin infection begins as a red area and progresses to an itchy blister filled with honey colored fluid. The fluid dries up to form a yellow or honey colored crust. Impetigo usually starts on the face. It is highly contagious by contact with the discharge from the lesions. A child with impetigo should be cleared by a medical professional and receive antibiotic pills or ointment before returning to school.

(National Library of Dermatologic Studies Slides)

Pediculosis (Head Lice):

Head lice are tiny, quick-crawling parasitic insects that live on human blood. They are commonly found on the scalp, usually in areas around the ears, on the crown of the head, and along the back of the neck. The most pronounced symptom is usually itching in those areas. They lay their eggs (nits) on hair shafts close to the scalp. The nits resemble dandruff but adhere to the hair shaft and are difficult to remove whereas dandruff is usually easily removed from the hair shaft. Head lice can spread to others through direct head to head contact or by sharing personal articles. A child with head lice is excluded from school until treated with a pediculicidal shampoo. The child’s head needs to be checked daily for two weeks to observe for reinfestation.

Ringworm (Tinea):

Worms don’t cause ringworm; a fungus that lives on the dead tissue of skin, hair, or nails does! Round, itchy, scaling and sometimes painful lesions characterize this fungal infection. Ringworm of the scalp often begins as a small pimple that becomes larger and leaves scaly patches of baldness or sometimes a yellowish crusty area. On the skin, ringworm often presents as flat, spreading, ring-shaped areas with reddish edges and may be dry and scaly or moist and crusted. Nails that become infected may appear thicker, brittle, and discolored or chalky and splitting or crumbly. Ringworm can be spread through direct contact with an infected person, animal, or the soil or through indirect contact with surfaces(shower stalls) or things(combs, brushes, hair clippers) that may have become contaminated with the fungus. More common in hot, human climates, ringworm is treated with an antifungal cream and/or oral medication. Even with treatment, ringworm may last several weeks. The fungus is no longer present when the lesion starts to shrink.

Scabies:

This is caused by tiny mites that burrow under the skin causing intense itching, particularly at night or after a hot bath. It occurs between the folds of the skin such as at the wrist and elbows, between fingers, and in the general area of the navel and beltline. Infants and small children sometimes get it on the head and scalp or on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. It usually begins as small, itchy blisters that break when scratched. Scratching can cause the skin to become very irritated and a dry linear rash develops. It is treated with a prescription cream or lotion.

For more information on parasitic infections, visit: http://www.aad.org/education/parasites.htm

For additional information on head lice, visit: www.headlice.org/ maintained by the National Pediculosis Association or the Harvard School of Public Health at: www.hsph.harvard.edu/headlice.html