Last year, the Epidemiological Service of the Balearic Islands recorded almost a hundred cases of erythema infectiosum, a viral disease commonly known as ‘slap virus’ due to visible features in the facial area.
This pathology, emanating from the parovirus B19, It is usually benign and is more common in young children. and although these figures do not correspond to the actual incidence in the Balearic Islands, they are related to the frequency and intensity of the epidemic waves of this virus. Moreover, The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a warning at the beginning of June 2024. because it identified cases in almost 14 countries of the European Union, among which, obviously, Spain.
On the other hand, according to the epidemiology of the Balearic Islands, there is a so-called epidemic wave in Europe. coincided with an increase in cases of measles or rubella.and this fact is a new cause for concern, since the symptoms of these diseases and those caused by parovirus B19 can be confused.
Almost all outbreaks identified last year affected one hundred people They were connected to the school and the alerts were sent by teachers.. The virus has not spread across classrooms with such intensity since 2005, and experts say that these dates coincide with various epidemic outbreaks of this pathology.
Disease Most often it affects children under 10 years of age. and is a skin rash, usually without fever, that begins on the cheeks and can spread to the torso, arms and legs. Symptoms can last several weeks, and although joint pain can occur in adults, it is rare in children.
How is it transmitted?
Most often, transmission of the virus occurs through drops of saliva which are released when coughing, talking or kissing. But it can also be transmitted through hands or objects that have been contaminated.
The danger of spreading this virus lies in its incubation periodthat is, the time that passes from the moment a person comes into contact with the virus until the manifestation of his illness, and can range from four to 20 days.
During this period, when symptoms do not appear, it is impossible to make a diagnosis, so it will not be possible to avoid infection. AND, once the rash appears, the disease is no longer contagious in most cases this is true, unless the pediatrician says otherwise, children will not even have to stop going to school. There are no specific preventive measures, such as vaccination.
Note
Preventative measures to avoid infection