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Background: Scarlet fever is a disease that still exist. Since it is basically clinically diagnosed, there will always be some doubt about its correct diagnosis and when to practice complementary explorations. Objective: To know the current reality of scarlet fever cases. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study of children diagnosed of scarlet fever. Cases discharged with diagnosis of scarlet fever by the pediatric emergency department from a general hospital of Barcelona, Spain, were collected between 2006-2008. Results: 151 cases were diagnosed. 47 aged under 3 years. Characteristic exanthema was described in 142 cases. Tonsillitis existed in 134 cases, red strawberry tongue in 26 and white in 11. Some accompanying symptoms were: odynophagia, vomiting or pruritus. Diagnosis was confirmed by pharyngeal frotis in 118 cases. The majority was treated with amoxicillin and penicillin and just 6 with a different antibiotic. Conclusion: Of particular note were: detection in subjects under 3 years of age, variety in exanthema, predominant prescription of amoxicillin and penicillin and lower number of cases in summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An update of the Spanish consensus document on the diagnosis and treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis is presented. Clinical scores should not be used to prescribe antibiotics, unless microbiological tests are not available or there is a child at risk of rheumatic fever. There is no score better than those set out in the previous consensus. Microbiological tests are recommended in proposed cases, regardless of the result of the scores. Penicillin is the treatment of choice, prescribed twice a day for 10 days. Amoxicillin is the first alternative, prescribed once or twice a day for the same time. First-generation cephalosporins are the treatment of choice in children with non-immediate reaction to penicillin or amoxicillin. Josamycin and midecamycin are the best options for children with immediate penicillin allergic reactions, when non-beta-lactam antibiotics should be used. In microbiological treatment failure, and in streptococcal carriers, the treatments proposed in the previous consensus are still applicable., (Copyright © 2020 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)