How is hand, foot, and mouth disease transmitted?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviral infections. There are more than 20 types of enteroviruses that can cause hand, foot, and mouth disease, but the most common are Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71. The main clinical symptoms include pain in the mouth, anorexia, low fever, and the appearance of small vesicles or ulcers on the hands, feet, mouth, and other areas. Most children can recover in about a week, but a few may develop serious complications such as myocarditis, pulmonary edema, and aseptic meningitis. The general transmission routes are through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and close contact, such as through droplets, sharing utensils, and hand-to-mouth contact, etc.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Hand, foot, and mouth disease is spread through:

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses. There are more than 20 types of enteroviruses that can cause the disease, among which Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71 are the most common. It frequently occurs in children under the age of 5 and manifests as mouth pain, loss of appetite, low fever, and small blisters or ulcers on the hands, feet, and mouth. Most affected children can recover within about a week. The main routes of transmission for hand, foot, and mouth disease can include the gastrointestinal tract, as well as respiratory transmission, and close contact such as through saliva, cough droplets, etc. Sharing utensils can also spread the disease.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What should I do about hand, foot, and mouth disease?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common exanthematous infectious disease in children caused by enterovirus infections. Most cases are mild to moderate and can be treated at home with oral medication. Doctors generally prescribe antiviral medications, and if the child's temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, antipyretic medications are also required. If there is discomfort in the throat, some medications can be sprayed to relieve local discomfort. For severe cases, such as those caused by EV71 virus infection, it is crucial to be vigilant. This type of infection can lead to symptoms involving the nervous system and may rapidly progress to severe conditions. Therefore, if it is confirmed that the hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by EV71 infection and the child's condition is serious, hospitalization should be promptly sought. Additionally, for children under three years old, it's important to actively vaccinate against hand, foot, and mouth disease to prevent illness caused by EV71 virus infection.

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Pediatrics
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Hand, foot, and mouth disease transmission routes

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by an intestinal virus infection, characterized by a rash of scattered maculopapular and vesicular lesions on the hands, feet, mouth, and buttocks. Generally, the prognosis is good. The disease is quite contagious, primarily spreading through the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and close contact. Therefore, during peak seasons of hand, foot, and mouth disease, children should stay at home and avoid crowded places and playing with children who have the disease. The highest incidence of this disease is among children under three years old, so it is essential to pay attention to the prevention and health care of infants. If a child in kindergarten is found to have the disease, they should rest at home and not return to the kindergarten immediately.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Late-stage symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an acute infectious disease caused by enterovirus infection. Generally, there are more than twenty types of enteroviruses that cause hand, foot, and mouth disease, but the most common are Coxsackie virus A16 and enterovirus 71. The initial symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease are blisters in the hands, feet, and mouth; some cases include fever, while others do not. In later stages, the disease may exhibit recurring fevers, and the blisters on the mouth, hands, feet, and buttocks may burst and crust over. After crusting, the blisters gradually heal, but in some cases, the disease can progress to severe cases. For instance, complications such as encephalitis, brainstem encephalitis, myocarditis can occur, and some cases may develop neurogenic pulmonary edema, pulmonary hemorrhage, and circulatory failure, among others. However, such severe cases are generally rare.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
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Causes of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a rash illness characterized by scattered papules and vesicles on the hands, feet, mouth, and buttocks, caused by an enterovirus infection. It is a contagious disease caused by a viral infection, specifically by Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71, which are part of the enterovirus group. Other Coxsackie enteroviruses can also cause hand, foot, and mouth disease. Common enterovirus infections can also lead to hand, foot, and mouth disease. This means that children who have had hand, foot, and mouth disease can potentially get it again, and this is important knowledge for everyone to understand.