I received this from Squirrely Jo earlier in the year,
and I am glad I saved it for the "health" files here.

Fifth disease: a common childhood ailment
Dr. Paul Donohue

Q:  I am writing about fifth disease. I never heard of it
when my children were growing up.  My grandchildren have
had it. What is it?  Can they get it more than once?

A:  About 100 years ago, a list of illnesses, all of
which had similar red rashes, was drawn up.  On the list
were illnesses like measles, scarlet fever and rubella
(German measles).  The fifth illness on the list was
simply called fifth disease.  Not until 1974 was the
cause of fifth disease discovered -- parvovirus B 19.
The illness has another name - erythema infection -- but
"fifth disease" is the more popular designation.

It's mostly a childhood illness.  By age 15, half of all
children have been infected.  For some, the illness is
so mild, no one suspects they have it.  Others develop
a fever, have a drippy nose, complain of headaches and
sometimes come down with diarrhea.  Two to five days
after these symptoms appear, the child's cheeks turn
fiery red, as though they had been slapped.  A few days
later, a rash might break out on the trunk.  The rash
can last for a week or more.

Usually a child has only on infection of fifth disease.
The rach can recur, however, for some weeks after all
the original signs have disappeard.

Adults -- especially young women -- who become infected
with the viurs most often do do come down with a rash.
They can have painful joints, particularly of the hands
and feet.  The joints hurt for one to three weeks, but
the pain can return again and again for months.

... Call a witch doctor!  My witch is sick.