The initial symptoms of fifth disease are very general. They may resemble mild symptoms of the flu.
Symptoms often include:
- headache
- fatigue
- low-grade fever
- sore throat
- nausea
- runny nose
- stuffy nose
After a few days of having these symptoms, most young people develop a red rash that first appears on the cheeks. Sometimes the rash is the first sign of the illness that’s noticed.
The rash tends to clear up on one area of the body and then re-appear on another part of the body within a few days.
other then cheeks, the rash will often appear on the:
- arms
- legs
- trunk of the body
Children are more likely to get a rash than adults. In fact, the main symptom adults usually experience is joint pain. Joint pain can last for several weeks.
