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How Can I Prevent Fifth Disease?

There is no vaccine against fifth disease. About 50% of adults are immune to fifth disease because they had it in childhood, often without knowing it.

Children

To limit the spread of fifth disease among children at home or in a child-care setting:

• Wash hands often, especially after wiping or blowing the nose and before preparing or eating food.
• Do not share food, pacifiers, bottles, eating utensils or drinking cups.
• If toys tend to end up in tots' mouths, clean and disinfect them often.
• Don't kiss children on the mouth.
• Play outdoors as much as possible; it's easier for the virus to spread indoors, where people are likely to be in closer contact.
• Make sure children are not crowded together, especially during nap time.
• Teach children to cough or sneeze into a tissue (which should be thrown away immediately) or their elbow (which is less likely than their hands to spread the virus) and away from other people.

Pregnant Women

If a woman is certain she has had fifth disease, there is no need to be concerned about exposure to the disease during pregnancy. If she is uncertain, a blood test can determine whether the woman has had fifth disease in the past and is thus immune.

Pregnant women who are not immune should take steps to avoid infection. For instance, if there is an outbreak of fifth disease in her workplace, she should discuss with her doctor whether she should stay home from work until it subsides. At home, she should wash her hands thoroughly after touching tissues used by infected children and dispose of tissues promptly. She also should avoid sharing drinking glasses or utensils with anyone who has the illness or was exposed to it.

Some doctors recommend immunoglobulin if a pregnant women has been exposed to the virus.