Objective   To understand the epidemiological characteristics of scarlet fever in Yangpu district, Shanghai, from 2015 to 2020, and provide theoretical basis for the prevention and control of scarlet fever.

  Methods   Descriptive epidemiological method was used to describe and analyze the distributions of scarlet fever in Yangpu, and Ward cluster method was used to analyze the clinical symptoms and signs of scarlet fever.

  Results   More scarlet fever cases occurred in boys than in girls. The age of the cases was 5−7 years and the cases aged 6 years had highest proportion (31.60%). The incidence level in central streets was higher than that in surrounding streets. The incidence level during 2015−2020 showed an upward trend followed by a downward trend, while the annual incidence had two peaks during May−June and during November−January. The cases could be divided into 3 groups according to the clinical symptoms and signs: more symptom group, less symptom group and non-symptom group, while the most common symptoms were systemic and oropharyngeal symptoms.

  Conclusion   In recent years, the overall incidence level of scarlet fever in Yangpu showed an upward trend and then a downward trend. In the diagnosis, treatment and prevention and control of scarlet fever, special attention should be paid to school aged boys in late spring and early summer and in late autumn and early winter, while the differential diagnosis should be strengthened.