Scarlet Fever ... Just to keep things interesting.

Yes, you were looking a little bored so, just to keep things interesting, life will add a little something to keep everyone on their toes.

http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2011/07/scarlet_fever_in_hong_kong.php

It's in Hong Kong and a commenter claims he had a case last year.

No vaccine, and increasingly antibiotic resistant. Lovely.

My son had it a year and a half ago. Misdiagnosed at the walk-in clinic and caught by his pediatrician.

I'll take that as strong confirmation of a domestic source, given that Canada and the States of America share a continent and all.

I've heard of one other case in our neck of the woods, around the same time my son had it. Before then, I thought it was a thing of the past. My son had all his recommended vaccinations but this wasn't, and isn't on the radar, though it is in our home book of children's medicine. That, the internet and the clinic doctor's obviously wrong diagnosis, led me to our pediatrician for an immediate second opinion. The first doc diagnosed roseola and no meds. (Thesymptoms, onset and rashes are very different. Watch out our for a quickly appearing rash like sandpaper, starting on head and neck, spreading to the torso, with a bright red tounge, and fever.)

Without medication there can be serious long-term reprecussions of scarlet fever! (Heart and reproduction, as I recall.)

Believe it or not, it's not all that rare. I've seen a couple cases and I'm not a pediatrician. My wife, who is, probably sees around 5 cases a year.