Hand-foot-mouth disease
Hand-foot-mouth disease is a relatively common infection viral infection that usually begins in the throat.
A similar infection is herpangina.
Causes
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is most commonly caused by coxsackievirus A16, a member of the enterovirus family.
The disease is not spread from pets, but it can be spread by person to person. You may catch it if you come into direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stools of an infected person. You are most contagious the first week you have the disease.
The time between infection and the development of symptoms is about 3 - 7 days.
The most important risk factor is age. The infection occurs most often in children under age 10, but can be seen in adolescents and occasionally adults. The outbreaks occur most often in the summer and early fall.
Symptoms
Fever
Headache
Loss of appetite
Rash with very small blisters on hands, feet, and diaper area; may be tender or painful if pressed
Sore throat
Ulcers in the throat (including tonsils), mouth, and tongue
Exams and Tests
A history of recent illness and a physical examination, demonstrating the characteristic vesicles on the hands and feet, are usually sufficient to diagnose the disease.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for the infection other than relief of symptoms.
Treatment with antibiotics does not work and is not recommended. Over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen can be used to treat fever. Aspirin should not be used in viral illnesses in children under age 12 years.
Salt water mouth rinses (1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 glass of warm water) may be soothing if the child is able to rinse without swallowing. Make sure your child gets plenty of fluids. Extra fluid is needed when a fever is present. The best fluids are cold milk products. Many children refuse juices and sodas because their acid content causes burning pain in the ulcers.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Generally, complete recovery occurs in 5 to 7 days.
Possible Complications
Dehydration
Febrile seizures
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if there are signs of complications, such as pain in neck or arms and legs. Emergency symptoms include convulsions.
You should also call if:
Medicine does not lower a high fever
Signs of dehydration occur:
Dry skin and mucus membranes
Weight loss
Irritability
Lethargy
Decreased or dark urine
Prevention
Avoid contact with people with known illness. Always wash your hands well and often, especially if you are in contact with people who are sick.
Alternative Names
Coxsackievirus infection
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Hand foot mouth disease
Hand, foot and mouth disease
Not to be confused with Foot-and-mouth disease.
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a human syndrome caused by intestinal viruses of the picornaviridae family. The most common strains causing HFMD are coxsackie A virus and enterovirus 71 (EV-71).
HFMD usually affects infants and children, and is quite common. It is moderately contagious and is spread through direct contact with the mucus, saliva, or feces of an infected person. It typically occurs in small epidemics in nursery schools or kindergartens, usually during the summer and autumn months. The usual incubation period is 3–7 days.
It is less common in adults, but those with immune deficiencies are very susceptible. HFMD is not to be confused with foot-and-mouth disease (also called hoof-and-mouth disease), which is a separate disease affecting sheep, cattle, and swine (both are caused by members of the picornaviridae family, but are not trans-communicable between humans and livestock).
Symptoms of HFMD include
Fever
Headache
Fatigue
Malaise
Referred ear pain
Sore throat
Painful oral, nasal, or facial lesions, ulcers or blisters
Body rash, followed by sores with blisters on palms of hand, soles of feet, and sometimes on the lips. The rash is rarely itchy for children, but can be extremely itchy for adults
Sores or blisters may be present on the buttocks of small children and infants
Irritability in infants and toddlers
Loss of appetite.
Diarrhea
The common incubation period (the time between infection and onset of symptoms) is from three to seven days.
Early symptoms are likely to be fever often followed by a sore throat. Loss of appetite and general malaise may also occur. Between one and two days after the onset of fever, painful sores (lesions) may appear in the mouth or throat, or both. A rash may become evident on the hands, feet, mouth, tongue, inside of the cheeks, and occasionally the buttocks (but generally, the rash on the buttocks will be caused by the diarrhea).
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. Individual symptoms, such as fever and pain from the sores, may be eased with the use of analgesics. HFMD is a viral disease that has to run its course; many doctors do not prescribe medicine for this illness. Infection in older children, adolescents, and adults is typically mild and lasts approximately 1 week, occasionally longer. Fever reducers and luke-warm baths can help bring temperature down.
Only a very small minority of sufferers require hospital admission, mainly as a result of uncommon neurological complications (encephalitis, meningitis, or acute flaccid paralysis) or pulmonary edema/pulmonary hemorrhage.
Complications
Complications from the virus infections that cause HFMD are not common, but if they do occur, medical care should be sought.
Viral or aseptic meningitis can rarely occur with HFMD. Viral meningitis causes fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain. The condition is usually mild and clears without treatment; however, some patients may need to be hospitalized for a short time.
Other more serious diseases, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain), a polio-like paralysis, result even more rarely. Encephalitis can be fatal.
There have been reports of fingernail and toenail loss occurring mostly in children within 4 weeks of their having hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). At this time, it is not known whether the reported nail loss is or is not a result of the infection. However, in the reports reviewed, the nail loss has been temporary and nail growth resumed without medical treatment.[4]
Not to be confused with Foot-and-mouth disease.
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a human syndrome caused by intestinal viruses of the picornaviridae family. The most common strains causing HFMD are coxsackie A virus and enterovirus 71 (EV-71).
HFMD usually affects infants and children, and is quite common. It is moderately contagious and is spread through direct contact with the mucus, saliva, or feces of an infected person. It typically occurs in small epidemics in nursery schools or kindergartens, usually during the summer and autumn months. The usual incubation period is 3–7 days.
It is less common in adults, but those with immune deficiencies are very susceptible. HFMD is not to be confused with foot-and-mouth disease (also called hoof-and-mouth disease), which is a separate disease affecting sheep, cattle, and swine (both are caused by members of the picornaviridae family, but are not trans-communicable between humans and livestock).
Symptoms of HFMD include
Fever
Headache
Fatigue
Malaise
Referred ear pain
Sore throat
Painful oral, nasal, or facial lesions, ulcers or blisters
Body rash, followed by sores with blisters on palms of hand, soles of feet, and sometimes on the lips. The rash is rarely itchy for children, but can be extremely itchy for adults
Sores or blisters may be present on the buttocks of small children and infants
Irritability in infants and toddlers
Loss of appetite.
Diarrhea
The common incubation period (the time between infection and onset of symptoms) is from three to seven days.
Early symptoms are likely to be fever often followed by a sore throat. Loss of appetite and general malaise may also occur. Between one and two days after the onset of fever, painful sores (lesions) may appear in the mouth or throat, or both. A rash may become evident on the hands, feet, mouth, tongue, inside of the cheeks, and occasionally the buttocks (but generally, the rash on the buttocks will be caused by the diarrhea).
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease. Individual symptoms, such as fever and pain from the sores, may be eased with the use of analgesics. HFMD is a viral disease that has to run its course; many doctors do not prescribe medicine for this illness. Infection in older children, adolescents, and adults is typically mild and lasts approximately 1 week, occasionally longer. Fever reducers and luke-warm baths can help bring temperature down.
Only a very small minority of sufferers require hospital admission, mainly as a result of uncommon neurological complications (encephalitis, meningitis, or acute flaccid paralysis) or pulmonary edema/pulmonary hemorrhage.
Complications
Complications from the virus infections that cause HFMD are not common, but if they do occur, medical care should be sought.
Viral or aseptic meningitis can rarely occur with HFMD. Viral meningitis causes fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain. The condition is usually mild and clears without treatment; however, some patients may need to be hospitalized for a short time.
Other more serious diseases, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain), a polio-like paralysis, result even more rarely. Encephalitis can be fatal.
There have been reports of fingernail and toenail loss occurring mostly in children within 4 weeks of their having hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). At this time, it is not known whether the reported nail loss is or is not a result of the infection. However, in the reports reviewed, the nail loss has been temporary and nail growth resumed without medical treatment.[4]
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