fifth disease

[ fifth di-zeez ]

noun

1. Pathology. a mild infection, most often seen in children or young adults, caused by a small virus (the human parvovirus B19) and marked by a blotchy rash on the cheeks, arms, and legs.

fifth disease

noun

1. a mild infectious disease of childhood, caused by a virus, characterized by fever and a red rash spreading from the cheeks to the limbs and trunk Also calledslapped-cheek disease Technical nameerythema infectiosum

Word History and Origins

Origin of fifth disease¹

So called because it was the fifth in a classification scheme of childhood eruptive diseases

Word History and Origins

Origin of fifth disease¹

C20: from its being among the five most common childhood infections