Foot, hand and mouth disease

 

Foot, hand and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection. An estimated 10 to 15 million symptomatic infections occur in the US each year. Hand, foot, and mouth disease causes rashes on the hands and feet.

• Pain in the hands, feet, and mouth causes rashes on the hands and feet and blisters in the mouth. The term rash is used to describe a rash caused by a virus. Bubbles in the mouth can be called herpangina.
• Hand, foot, and mouth disease is most common in the summer and fall.
• Hand, foot, and mouth disease is more common in children, especially preschoolers.
• Hand, foot, and mouth disease is usually mild and resolves within a week. Treatment is aimed directly at relieving symptoms (fever and sore throat).

 What is hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD)

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral infection of the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and inside of the mouth, often characterized by fever and a rash characteristic. It should not be confused with hoof and mouth disease, which affects cattle, sheep and pigs.

What are the early signs and symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease?

1. HFMD is a common ailment in summer and fall.
2. The first symptoms are a low-grade fever (101 F-102 F) and weakness accompanied by a characteristic skin rash after 1 or 2 days.

• Small red spots (2mm-3mm) appear on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the mouth, which quickly turn into small bubbles (vesicles).
• The teeth, tongue, and inside of the cheeks are often involved in the oral cavity.
• Foot injuries can also affect the lower calf and, rarely, the buttocks.
• Damage to the oral cavity is usually associated with sore throat, discomfort when eating and drinking, resulting in decreased appetite. It is very rare for a sick child to become dehydrated due to mouth discomfort. 

3. It is estimated that about 50% of people infected with enteroviruses never show symptoms. Symptoms are more common in infants, toddlers, and young children. Older children, adolescents, and adults have no symptoms.

What causes hand, foot and mouth disease?

HFMD is one of the few infectious diseases caused by multiple members of the enterovirus group of viruses. The most common cause is the Coxsackie virus A16; The rare enterovirus 71 is the causative agent of the infection. The clinical manifestations of normal HFMD are the same regardless of the virus responsible. However, patients infected with enterovirus 71 rarely develop complications (eg, viral meningitis or myocardial infarction).

Is hand, foot and mouth disease contagious? How is it spread?

HFMD is spread from person to person through direct contact with an infectious virus (Coxsackievirus A16 or rare enterovirus 71). The virus is most common in the nose and throat, as well as in the bladder or stool of an infected person. Viruses can live on desks, faucets, inanimate surfaces, and can then be spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your nose, mouth, or eyes before washing your hands. Similarly, changing a diaper without gloves or washing the hands of an infected baby can spread the disease. Virus-contaminated water can also transmit infections. A woman who becomes infected before giving birth can infect her baby. A baby usually has a mild illness, but needs to be closely monitored because, in rare cases, an infection or more serious complications may develop. Infected people become infected in the first week of illness. HFMD should not be spread from pets or animals.

The virus that causes HFMD can remain in a person's respiratory tract or intestines for weeks or months after all symptoms have disappeared. Even if the sick person has fully recovered in the past, the infection can still be passed on. Some people (mostly adults) may not show any signs or symptoms during infection, but non-immune people (usually infants and children) can spread the disease unnoticed.

What is the stage of infection of this hand, foot and mouth disease?

People who experience symptoms and signs after being infected with the virus clear up within 1 to 3 days. They are most contagious in the first week of illness. However, the virus can persist in respiratory secretions (saliva and/or nasal mucosa) for one to three weeks in the two to eight weeks after infection.

What is the incubation period for hand, foot, and mouth disease?

HFMD is quite contagious and spreads from person to person. It cannot be spread by animals. The virus usually passes through the mouth (nose and saliva, etc.) or feces. There is a brief incubation period of 1 to 3 days between the appearance and the development of the initial symptoms (fever and weakness). A person becomes more infected during the first week of illness.

Can adults get hand, foot, and mouth disease?

Adults who have not been exposed to the virus who are infected with HFMD as children may develop physical symptoms and symptoms (a characteristic spreading vesicular rash) if they are infected with the virus. Interestingly, most adults with enteroviruses remain asymptomatic. Unfortunately, infected people remain infected, even if there are no objective physical indications.