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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Older infants are at greatest risk of acquiring roseola because they haven't had time yet to develop their own antibodies against many viruses. While in the uterus, babies receive antibodies from their mothers that protect them as newborns from contracting infections, such as roseola. But this immunity fades with time. The most common age for a child to contract roseola is between 6 and 15 months.

References
  1. Leach CT. Roseola (human herpesviruses 6 and 7). In: Kliegman RM, et al. Kliegman: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/178982054-11/941383690/1608/665.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50255-3_5489. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
  2. Roseola infantum (human herpesvirus 6 and 7 infection). In: Habif TP. Habif: Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00023-7--s0290&uniq=178982054&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=941383690. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
  3. Fort GG, et al. Roseola. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/178982054-11/941383690/2088/578.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00027-7--sc0135_11835. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
  4. Hall CB. Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 (roseola, exanthem subitum). In: Long SS, et al., eds. Long: Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/178982054-11/941383690/1679/212.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06687-0..50211-3_3868. Accessed Jan. 21, 2010.
  5. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 26, 2010.
DS00452 March 12, 2010

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