Epidemic Erythema Infectiosum

Abstract

ERYTHEMA infectiosum is an apparently benign exanthematous disease commonly occurring in somewhat localized epidemics during the winter and spring months. The viral etiology has been assumed but never proved and although the clinical features have been described in several papers, knowledge concerning transmission, length of incubation period and possible sequelae remains incomplete. The number of reports of series of cases and epidemics that have appeared in the literature suggests that the disease may be much more common than usual sources of morbidity data indicate. The disease was first described in 1889 by Tschamer,¹ who thought it to represent a localized . . .