infectious diseases

Sixth Disease in brief

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Sixth disease	Infectious-viral pathology with benign course that affects infants aged between six months and two years
Synonyms	Critical exanthema, pseudorosolia, exanthematous fever of the three days, exantema subitum or rosolea infantum
Frequency of the sixth disease	The sixth disease is particularly frequent in certain periods of the year, especially during the intermediate seasons (autumn and spring)
Virus transmission	Aerogen: through direct contact with saliva or with the mucus of the infected patient
Causes of the sixth disease	Human Herpes Virus type 6B (HHV-6B), belonging to the Herpesviridae family
Virus infection mode	Attack on salivary glands, regional lymph nodes → reaching the histocyte reticulum → immune response
Sixth disease: target	Infants and infants aged between 6 and 24 months Infants under the age of six months are not affected by Herpes virus type 6, thanks to virus-specific antibodies transmitted by the mother
Risk factors in adults	AIDS Organ transplantation Immunosuppression
Sixth disease: symptoms	Pre-exanthemic phase high fever, sore throat, cold, conjunctivitis, vomiting, catarrhal phenomena, diarrhea, nausea, mood modulation, irritability and swelling of the pharynx. Possible cases of lymphadenopathy Exanthemia phase formation of reddish macules and papules spread throughout the body and irritability
Contagiousness of the sixth disease	The transmissibility of the sixth disease is greatest during the febrile phase
Evolution of the sixth disease	Virus incubation: 5-10 days (asymptomatic disease) Pre-exanthemic phase Exanthemia phase Often spontaneous regression of the disease after 2 days from the exanthem
Sixth disease: complications	Feverish crises Tension of muscle mass Loss of knowledge Stiffening of the limbs Meningoencephalitis and fulminant hepatitis (very rare)
Sixth disease: histological examination	leucocytosis Leukopenia Lymphocytosis (during the final stage) Decreased immunity defenses
Sixth disease: diagnosis	Clinical investigation of the patient Differential diagnosis: distinction of the sixth rubella disease, measles, enterovirus and morbillivirus infections Pharmacological history (possible misdiagnosis with drug reaction) Isolation of the pathogen in blood or saliva (costly diagnosis)
Sixth disease: therapies	Support care Antibiotics (against possible complications from bacterial superinfections affecting the respiratory system) Diazepam (against possible seizures) Cryotherapy: ice therapy Antifebraic (ex. Paracetamol), Syrups with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties (eg Ibuprofen)
Sixth disease: prevention	There is no preventive form or vaccines against the sixth disease