What is hand-mouth-foot disease?

The infection is caused by the coxsaci virus type A. Mainly children till the age of 9 to 10 years are affected. The incubation period can be 3 to 10 days long.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of the disease is comparable to that of a flue, including fever, aches and pains and sore throat. Additionally a rash develops. The children have high fever for 1 to 3 days after which a rash develops. The rash is mainly around the mouth, on the hands and feet. The rash can be associated with small to large blisters, which will dry out by itself. The rash can be very decent in some patient and stronger in others. In average the disease last about 10 days.

What are the complications?

The disease is harmless but a few cases of mortalities have been reported in Asia.

Therapy and infection risk?

The disease spreads via droplet infection (coughing and sneezing). Special attention to the symptoms need be given in day cares. As long as the rash has not disappeared significantly and the blisters have not dried out infectious risk remains high.

If a child had contact with a pregnant woman, even if the mother gets the infection there is no known risk to the unborn child.

Therapy consist of antipyretics with high fever, plenty of fluids and good hygiene prevention to avoid bacterial infections of the blisters.