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Mystery rash remains difficult to pin down Whatever this mystery malady is, it doesn't seem to take long for the students to recover, usually four to five days. By DAMIAN MANN A mystery rash that has infected up to 40 students - mostly girls - at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in Medford might be related to a viral infection known as "slapped cheek disease," a team of seven doctors suggested Friday. "We want to say it's not serious," said Medford dermatologist David Trask. "It's our opinion that this could very well be viral." At first, the six dermatologists and one general practitioner thought the children were suffering from some form of eczema, but Trask said, "I think these kids have more than just eczema." But he wanted to assuage parents' fears that it could be something far worse. "This is not anthrax," he said. In most cases, the children, mostly second-graders, exhibited a sunburn-like condition on their cheeks, one of the symptoms of slapped cheek disease. The virus that causes the disease is transmitted by droplets in the coughs of infected children. It mainly affects children in preschool and primary grades and can cause outbreaks in schools. At Abraham Lincoln, doctors found the sunburn-like condition on the backs of some of the children's arms and hands, and, in some cases, on their backs and lower legs. While Trask said the symptoms are remarkably similar to slapped cheek disease, also known as fifth disease, the children haven't had fevers or other symptoms normally associated with the illness. "It could be a new disease," said Trask. Suggested treatments include moisturizers and cortisone cream for the affected areas. Whatever this mystery malady is, it doesn't seem to take long for the students to recover, usually four to five days. Trask said the rash doesn't seem to pose any long-term health risks to the students, but he and other health professionals suggest that any pregnant women who come in contact with the infected children be checked out by their obstetrician or gynecologist. Some rashes such as slapped cheek disease can cause a severe infection in unborn children. Trask and other dermatologists looked at 28 children, of which only two were boys. Some of the students had only mild forms of a rash, making it difficult to determine whether they were suffering from the same malady. Two students suffered from cold-like symptoms, which wouldn't be unexpected during the flu and cold season, Trask said. Doctors and school officials scoured the school looking for some kind of agent that might have produced the rash, paying particular attention to the girls' bathroom. Nothing out of the ordinary was found. Trask said it was unusual that such a large number of girls came down with the symptoms. About 33 second-grade students and six fourth-graders reported skin redness as of Thursday. "The kids aren't sick in any way. They are just miserable at times," Principal Bob Hartwig said Friday. After cleaning rooms, conducting environmental tests of the air and searching for irritating agents at the school to no avail, Hartwig welcomed the help from the doctors. "I can't imagine any community in the United States where seven doctors donated their time," he said. Students still will be allowed to come to school until health officials tell him otherwise, said Hartwig. Another mysterious rash has surfaced in Pennsylvania, where nearly 100 students at two elementary schools were infected. Students at three other Philadelphia schools complained of rashes Thursday, but officials were not sure whether the rashes were related to the original outbreak. None of the afflicted children and teachers became seriously ill. "We're pretty sure it's not an infectious disease," said Richard McGarvey, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which sent two investigators. "After a couple of hours of being out of the environment, the rash seems to disappear." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.