Temporary information (contagious erythema)

It is an infectious disease caused by human pulbovirus B19, which is also called "apple disease" because both cheeks turn red like apples. It often occurs from spring to early summer. About 7 to 10 days after the cold-like symptom, erythema (the skin becomes red) appears on both cheeks, followed by a mesh or lace-like erythema on the limbs. It is a mild infection that spreads mainly in children, but when infected early in pregnancy, it can cause miscarriages and abnormalities in the fetus. In addition, about 25% of people have subclinical infections that do not have symptoms even if they are infected.

It is droplet infection (cough, sneezing, etc.) and contact infection (by touching the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes with the hand that touches the droplets of the infected person).
The incubation period is 4 to 15 days.
Hand washing and cough etiquette are important for prevention. Since alcohol is difficult to work, sodium hypochlorite is used for environmental disinfection such as toys that are touched on a daily basis.

• Outbreak status of infectious erythema (December 5, 2024) (PDF: 365KB)(Published in R06.12.5)

• Outbreak status of infectious erythema (December 6, 2018) (PDF: 395KB)(Published in H30.12.6)
• Outbreak status of infectious erythema (May 23, 2014) (PDF: 755KB)(Published in H26.5.23)