Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious illness affecting primarily children although it also can occur in adults. HFMD presents with fever, oral lesions, and vesicular rash on the hands, feet and buttocks, persisting for 7-10 days. It is spread through direct contact with the mucus, saliva, or feces of an infected person. The common incubation period is from three to seven days. HFMD results from infection with a group of non polio enteroviruses of the picorna viridae family. Most frequently, large outbreaks are caused by coxsackie virus A16 (CAV16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71). After an incubation period of 3 to 5 days, the viral infection results in mild fever, sore throat and loss of appetite. Malaise, swollen lymph glands, and mild diarrhoea may be present. Flat pink patches on the dorsal and palmar surfaces of the hands and feet are soon followed by small elongated greyish blisters. These resolve by peeling off within a week, without leaving scars. In some cases, fingernails have been reported to be shed a few weeks after the infection has recovered. Usually there are also a few small oral vesicles and ulcers. These are sometimes painful, so the child eats little and frets. In young children a red rash may develop on the buttocks and sometimes on the arms.
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, from Emergence to Vaccine Control: Shady Mahmoud Attia Ibrahim, Mohamed Ismail Kamel
Last date updated on March, 2024