I received a call from my son's mother stating that he has very highly contagious disease called "fifth's disease". She stated that her doctor told her that there is no known treatment or antibiotics for it & that he could be quarantined in a bubble (at home) but is not. I did the research online a feel more at ease it wasn't another story she came up with as usual.

I got this in Mexico a couple years ago. For me, the rash wasn't very apparent but it felt like rheumatoid arthritis - very painful, couldn't walk normally, raise my arms, etc. This lasted about 3 weeks. My doctor did tests and thought it was fifth disease. Shortly after I started feeling better, my daughter (8) got this and for her, it was very mild but she did have the characteristic lace leaf rash (I didn't). That confirmed for me what it was.

At the age of 5 my son had a fever and sore throat then developed a rash and I assumed it was strep and scarlet fever which he had several times before. I took him to our M.D. who sent us to a dermatologist and ended with a fifth disease diagnosis. He is now 18 and still gets an itchy rash when too hot or cold and has pain and swelling of the joints periodically. All the information I've found say's it goes away. It didn't with my son. I think more scientific investigation of this disease is needed and maybe then a cure will be found.

I am amazed reading these comments from adults who had fifth disease! I had no idea what was wrong with me- I had this mystery illness that started with severe chills and fever. Chills were so bad that I had to put a winter coat on, turn my heating pad on high -stuff it in my coat, then cover up with a blanket and I was still shivering so violently that my back went out from the muscle spasms. I was very ill after that episode for 2 weeks--the worst of which was SEVERE JOINT PAIN and STIFFNESS in my neck, wrists, fingers,hands, KNEES so bad that I could hardly walk at all. I now have leg pains as well that feel sort of like a compressed nerve such as when you sit too long on a chair wrong or something. It has been awful! It has been 3 weeks now and Im still trying to recover.

I was diagnosed with fifths disease the end of July and now almost the end of September, I still do not feel well. I had a fever of 99 when first stricken with this, sore and swollen hands and feet, the hives-like rash on my arms and legs and overall exhaustion. The rash disappeared along with the swelling of the feet and hands. Every once in awhile I still get the 99 fever, still have pain in my hands, and how my lymph nodes are swollen with a general feeling of malaise. I am a 60 year old female and would like to know how long this lasts and if anyone else has the swollen lymph nodes.

I am 46 years old my grandson got fifths at school I had heard about the virus and when I looked it up it seemed mild. Then I got it wow I have had it for two weeks now and I feel like I have been beaten all over at one point I could hardly walk. My white blood cell count is low and my sed rate high. This is a brutal virus for adults!

My 5 year old son has also acquired the disease. He had been getting low grade fever for past one week and now when he was actually beginning to recover this rash appeared on his face. Pediatrician termed it as 'fifth's disease.' I t has not yet spread to his other body parts and I pray that it doesn't get too much worse for him.