Scarlet Fever
In this infection, certain Streptococcus bacteria enter the body through the pharynx, or throat, and cause an attack of tonsillitis. Without antibiotic treatment, the bacteria multiply and produce a toxin, or poison, that circulates in the blood. After an incubation period of one to seven days, the amounts of toxin are sufficient to cause the symptoms of scarlet fever.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms do vary slightly from person to person. Here is a typical case of scarlet fever.
On day one the child develops a high fever (as high as 104 degrees F, or 40 degrees C), a red, sore throat and tonsils, and a furred tongue. Sometimes a whitish coating covers the tonsils and the child may vomit.
On day two a bright red (scarlet) rash appears on the child’s face, except for just around the mouth. By day three this rash, which may itch, has spread to cover the rest of the body and the arms and legs. Meanwhile the child’s temperature starts to fall and the tongue becomes bright, strawberry-red.
By day six the rash has faded. Both skin and tongue may begin to peel, leaving a red, raw surface underneath. Peeling can last another 10 to 14 days.
Scarlet fever now has become rare. The two main risks, both very rare and occurring about two to three weeks after the rash, are rheumatic fever and a form of glomerulonephritis.
Parents of the child should contact the physician if you suspect your child has scarlet fever. Follow the advice of the doctor and you can expect a full recovery with no after-effects.
V. a) Speak about 1) the symptoms of scarlet fever
2) the course of the disease.
b) Describe 1) how scarlet fever is transmitted 2) how eruptionappears and spreads
MEASLES
Measles is one of the most communicable and widespread diseases of childhood. All the parents must know that measles is a very grave disease which is dangerous for children especially the young ones.
The disease is spread by infected droplets from the nose and throat sneezed or coughed into the air.
There is an incubation period of 9—10 days. The first symptoms are fever, cough and sneezing. With the appearance of these symptoms the parents must put the child into bed and call the doctor in.
The disease is characterized by a rash which appears on the 4th day,at first on the mucous membrane of the mouth, it is known as Filatov-Koplik's spots. These are tiny white spots on a bright red background. Then red maculopapular rash appears on the skin, at first behind the ears, then on the face, body and limbs. After the disappearance of the rash desquamation begins.
The patient begins to feel much worse. The cough and cold in the head become aggravated, the eyes get purulent. If the disease is not complicated, the patient recovers quickly.
Proper treatment and good nursing may prevent complications. The patient's room must be aired as often as possible, because fresh air prevents further infection, and it must be cleaned with a wet duster. The patient's bed must be placed so that the day light should not fall on his face, but the room must never be darkened because the sun rays kill bacteria.
It is necessary to keep the patient's mouth clean. For this purpose the patient should rinse his mouth after meals. Little children must drink boiled water instead of rinsing. If the child has no complications he must be bathed as usual. The temperature of the water must be about 36—37 °C. As the sick child has poor appetite he should take soft diet in small amounts 5—6 times a day. The patient's hands must often be washed and he must not be allowed to rub his eyes. It is good to wash his eyes out with tea (green tea is better) or an appropriate disinfecting solution several times a day. It is necessary to isolate the sick child from healthy children. When it is impossible for the child to have proper nursing at home, he should be taken to the hospital where there are proper conditions to aid his recovery.
Words to be memorised
Nouns: measles, membrane, limb, nursing, diet, amount, solution, condition.
Verbs: to prevent, to protect, to clean, to place, to kill, to darken, to drink, to rinse, to bathe, to wash out, to isolate, to expose.
Adjectives: widespread, grave, mucous, sick, clean, boiled
Other words and expressions: to put into bed, to call -a doctor in, at first, instead of, for this purpose, to get purulent — гноиться, to be vaccinated — сделать прививку Filatov-Koplik's spots — пятна Филатова-Коплика
Exercises
I. Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of disease is measles?
2. In what way is it spread?
3. How long is the incubation period?
4. What are the prodromal symptoms?
5. What must be done with the appearance of these symptoms?
6. What is the disease characterized by?
7. Which is the most characteristic symptom of this disease?
8. Where does the rash appear first?
9. What preventive measures must be taken to exposed
children?
10. When does desquamation begin?
11. What is the prognosis of the disease if it is not
complicated?
12. What measures usually prevent complications?
13. How must the sick child be nursed?
14. In what case is the patient taken to the hospital?
II. Translate the following sentences:
a) 1. Taken in time, any general well-known measures for given
disease bring good results.
2. The physician observed marked improvement obtained due
to proper treatment.
3. If vaccinated in time, children do not develop dangerous
complications.
4. The child exposed contracted measles.
b) 1.Measles being an infectious disease, the sick child must be isolated as soon as possible.
2. Measles begins like a bad cold, catarrhal symptoms such as a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, coughing and others being present through the illness.
3. Measles appears to have been known from an early period in the history of medicine, it being mentioned in the writings of the Arabian physicians.
4. Measles is believed to be one of the most contagious diseases, its main symptom being a specific macular eruption which first appears on the mucous membranes of the mouth.
c) 1. One of the worst complications of measles, but fortunately
a rare one is gangrenous stomatitis.
2. Mild cases of measles are as contagious as severe ones.
3. If one finds characteristic spots on the mucous membrane
of the mouth, one should suspect measles.
4. One must keep in mind all measures that may prevent
complications.
5. Measles is more prevalent than any other eruptive fever and
one to which human beings are universally susceptible.
d)1.Считается, что корь – одно из самых опасных заболеваний детства.
2.Корь распространяется воздушно-капельным путём, причём дети легко заражаются, даже после короткого контакта.
3.Противокоревую вакцину рекомендуют вводить в возрасте 9-10 месяцев.
4.Если корь протекает тяжело, за ней могут последовать осложнения, такие как пневмония, бронхит и др.
5. Больного ребёнка можно лечить дома, но хороший уход крайне важен.
III. Read the text and say what new information it contains as compared with the previous text:
Measles is the commonest infectious disease of childhood. It is characterised by catarrhal symptoms of the eyes, nose and throat, fever and a typical eruption located on the mucous membranes and on the skin. Very young infants are relatively unsusceptible, especially if they are breast-fed. They become more susceptible after the sixth month and there is no infectious disease to which there is less natural immunity than to measles. The most frequent and most important complication of measles is the involvement of the respiratory tract (pneumonia, bronchitis). Middle ear inflammation sometimes occurs.
IV. Say what mother should do while looking after the baby
who has measles; speak about the period of rash
.
V. Using the Table of Infectious Diseases on p. 95 write down the facts about chickenpox, scarlet fever, measles.
Comparing the facts speak about a) the way of transmission; b) The duration of incubation period and complications of these three diseases, c) Eruptive stage of chicken-pox and scarlet fever, scarlet fever and measles.
