How many days does hand, foot and mouth disease have a fever?

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on December 19, 2024
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Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by an intestinal virus infection and is characterized by acute fever and vesicles or papules on the hands, feet, mouth, buttocks, and other areas. There are more than 20 types of enteroviruses that cause this disease, with the most common being Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16. In typical cases, the fever may last about two to three days, but there are also cases with mild symptoms where no fever appears, or only a low fever occurs, lasting one to two days. In severe cases, the fever may last longer, from three to five days or even more. Therefore, it can only be said that in most cases, the fever in typical cases may last about two to three days.

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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 Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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How long should hand, foot, and mouth disease be isolated?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enterovirus infection. There are more than 20 common types of enteroviruses, with Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71 being the most common. The main clinical symptoms include fever, mouth pain, loss of appetite, and small blisters or ulcers on the hands, feet, and mouth. Most affected children can heal on their own in about a week, so ordinary cases can be isolated for about a week until all the rashes have crusted over and disappeared. However, for severe cases, the isolation period should be extended appropriately, possibly lasting 10-14 days, or even longer.

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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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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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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.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
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Does hand, foot, and mouth disease cause fever?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a contagious childhood exanthem caused by an intestinal virus infection. The primary symptoms of most hand, foot, and mouth diseases include fever, followed by rashes on the hands, feet, mouth, and buttocks, as well as vesicles in the throat. However, not all children with the disease necessarily experience continuous fever or any fever at all. Some only show symptoms after coming into contact with an infected person, with rashes on the hands, feet, mouth, and buttocks, and vesicles in the throat. In such cases, it is still considered hand, foot, and mouth disease, and fever is not a requisite for diagnosis. Thus, the presence of fever should not be solely relied upon for diagnosing the disease.