What is hand foot and mouth disease?
Hand foot and mouth disease is one type of viral infection caused by the enterovirus groups. Among all other enteroviruses Coxsackie A16, Coxsackie A6, and Enterovirus 71 viruses are mostly responsible for hand foot and mouth disease. Other types of enterovirus can also cause hand, foot, mouth disease.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease usually occurs in younger children. But older children and adults are affected by hand, foot, and mouth disease too.
Hand foot and mouth disease generally is not a serious illness. Some mild sign symptoms accompanied by fever are seen in most cases. If the affected children have a sore mouth and face difficulty in deglutition of liquid foods and water, the parents should consult their physicians. If the condition deteriorates you may need urgent medical help from a registered physician.
Incubation period
The incubation period for the hand, foot, and mouth disease is three to six days meaning it normally takes 3 to 6 days from the initial infection to the onset of signs and symptoms of the disease.
Mode of infection
- The main mode of infection of hand, foot, and mouth disease is oral ingestion of virus particles. Since it is a mild to a severe contagious disease that’s why it spreads by close contact with the affected person.
- Apart from that discharge from the throat, nasal secretions act as a source of infections.
- Respiratory droplets of the affected person are a potential source of infection.
- Stool, saliva, and fluid coming from the painful blisters are equally responsible for this.
Signs and Symptoms
- Often fever is considered as the first sign of hand foot and mouth disease.
- Along with fever, feeling sick and poor appetite are also observed.
- One to two days after the fever starts painful sores may develop in the mouth.
- Presence of Soreness in the throat.
- Rash and painful red blisters are seen on the cheeks, gums.
- Irritation is commonly seen in young adults and toddlers.
- Rash red devoid of itching may be found in the palm, soles, and buttocks.
Complications
Most of the cases resolve spontaneously without any complications, but few show little risk of dehydration.
- Development of encephalitis.
- Development of polio-like paralysis.
- Loss of nails of fingers or toenails.
- Sometimes it leads to viral meningitis.
- Pregnant women must be cautious of having this disease and inform the healthcare provider.
- The main risk factor is that the patient may develop dehydration due to difficulty in deglutition.
Recovery period
Usually, a person having symptoms may recover within seven to ten days with or without taking treatment.
But the important thing is that the virus may infect others from several days up to weeks.
Taking preventive measures including avoiding close contact with patients, washing your hands regularly keeps you safe from hand foot and mouth disease.
Diagnosis
- Doing some physical examination helps to diagnose hand, foot, and mouth disease.
- Taking note of the person’s signs- symptoms.
- Examination of the rash present around the mouth, feet, and hands.
- Collecting throat swabs and culture of the virus to detect the responsible virus.
- Stool sample collection and test it.
Treatment
Most people require no medication. Though some medicine is needed to reduce the symptoms.
- Taking plenty of fluids. It will prevent dehydration.
- Eat healthy and soft foods.
- Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce fever or pain of sore throat.
- Syrup or lozenges to improve a painful sore throat.
- You should avoid giving aspirin to children because it may cause Reye’s syndrome.
Some preventive steps
- If your children suffer from hand foot and mouth disease or at least have the symptoms of hand foot and mouth disease keeps them at your home, avoid going to school.
- In the case of adults, they should work from home rather than going to the office.
- Wash hands frequently and disinfectant the used area’s objects frequently to avoid the spread of diseases.
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