Interdisciplinary Clinical Management and Nursing Care Approaches in Scarlet Fever
Abstract
Background: Scarlet fever is an acute, toxin-mediated illness caused by Group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS), historically a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by a distinctive sandpaper-like rash, strawberry tongue, and fever, primarily affecting school-aged children. The disease has seen a global resurgence in recent decades, linked to the emergence of more virulent GAS strains.
Aim: This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of scarlet fever, detailing its etiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and the critical importance of timely diagnosis and management to prevent both acute suppurative complications and severe immune-mediated sequelae like acute rheumatic fever and poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Methods: The diagnosis is primarily clinical, based on characteristic signs and symptoms, and confirmed through laboratory testing such as rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) and throat culture. Molecular methods like PCR are increasingly used for strain identification during outbreaks. Management centers on antibiotic therapy and supportive care.
Results: Penicillin remains the first-line antibiotic treatment, effectively reducing symptom duration, transmission, and complication risks. However, rising macrolide and clindamycin resistance in some regions complicates management for penicillin-allergic patients. With prompt treatment, the prognosis is excellent, though complications can arise from delayed or inadequate care.
Conclusion: Scarlet fever is a re-emerging public health concern. Its successful management relies on a coordinated, interprofessional approach involving clinicians, nurses, and pharmacists for accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment, patient education, and infection control to optimize individual and community health outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Ghadeer Saleh Alsaqer, Abdullah Ali Mufadhi Alharbi, Basmah Hamad Khardali, Faten Meawadh Talaq Almutairi , Malak Qasem Habib Mutyi, Noah Abduallh Alanazi, Bador Shaiem M Remal, Dikheel Ali Dikheel Alshammary, Alawiaa Abdalmjid Alali , Mubarak Barak Alosaimi, Abdulmajeed Abdullah Alanazi, Nawaf Mohmmed Saad Alsehli
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