Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a common infectious disease among children, primarily caused by enteroviruses. This condition occurs throughout the year in various regions of China and is characterized by its prevalence in young children.
How much do you know about HFMD?
01
What are the epidemiological characteristics of hand, foot and mouth disease?
Source of infection: children and recessive infected persons.
Transmission route: Close contact is an important mode of transmission of HFMD. Infection is caused by contact with items contaminated with the virus. It can also be transmitted by respiratory droplets; It can also be contracted by drinking or eating water and food contaminated with the virus.
Susceptible groups: infants and children are generally susceptible, mainly children under 5 years old.
Incubation period: mostly 2 ~ 10 days, average 3 ~ 5 days.
What are the main symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease?
The main symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) include the appearance of scattered rashes and vesicles on the hands, feet, mouth, buttocks, and other areas. These may or may not be accompanied by fever. Patients often also exhibit non-specific symptoms such as coughing, rhinorrhea (runny nose), and lack of appetite.
In a small number of cases, individuals might experience persistent high fever, poor mental status, vomiting, irritability, limb tremors, weakness, increased respiratory rate, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat); cold sweats, cold extremities, poor peripheral circulation, and other signs of severe illness.
03
To determine if a child has hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), a clinical diagnosis can be made based on the epidemiological history and the presence of typical rashes on the hands, feet, mouth, and buttocks.
If the clinical symptoms are atypical, our hospital can confirm the diagnosis through laboratory testing. This involves detecting enterovirus-specific nucleic acid in stool specimens by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) or isolating enterovirus from the samples.
04For hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), there are currently no specific antiviral medications available, so the treatment mainly focuses on alleviating symptoms. It is important to ensure isolation to prevent cross-infection.
Patients should get adequate rest and follow a light diet while ensuring proper care for oral hygiene and skin lesions. Mild cases can typically be managed with outpatient treatment, whereas severe cases require hospitalization for isolation and more intensive care.
05
Children who have had hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) can potentially get it again. HFMD is caused by enteroviruses, with the primary serotypes including Coxsackievirus A group 4-7, 9, 10, 16, and B group 1-3, 5, Enterovirus 71, and certain serotypes of Echovirus, among which CV-A16 and EV-A71 are the most common. Since there is no cross-immunity between different types of enteroviruses, children who have had HFMD can still contract the disease again by becoming infected with a different strain of the virus.
Therefore, after having hand, foot, and mouth disease, children remain susceptible to reinfection by other types of enteroviruses that cause the condition.
06
How should hand, foot and mouth disease be prevented?
General precautions: Maintaining good personal hygiene is the key to preventing hand, foot and mouth disease. Wash your hands frequently, ventilate well, don't drink raw water, eat raw and cold food. Children's toys and commonly touched items should be regularly cleaned and disinfected. Avoid close contact with children with hand, foot and mouth disease.
Vaccination: EV-A71 inactivated vaccine can be used to prevent HFMD caused by EV-A71 infection in children aged 6 months to 5 years. The basic immunization program is 2 doses, 1 month apart, and completion of vaccination before 12 months of age is encouraged.
07
When can I go to school after getting hand, foot and mouth disease?
Children with hand, foot and mouth disease need to be isolated until 7 days after the symptoms disappear, or 14 days after the onset of illness before going to school.
