What Is Fifth Disease?
2. Causes
Fifth disease is caused by the human parvovirus B19. It is present all year round, but outbreaks are more likely in winter and spring in the United States. The virus is spread between people, and outbreaks in schools are not uncommon. The virus tends to be spread in infected droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets are then sometimes inhaled or ingested directly. At other times, they can land on surfaces where they can then be picked up by other people and possibly spread further. The virus can also be transmitted by infected blood, and women can pass the disease onto their unborn babies.
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