[Hand, foot and mouth disease] Affects adults and children: symptoms and transmission routes explained

Following the lifting of the “mask mandate”, people have started to get used to not wearing masks, and many common infectious diseases are expected to make a comeback. One such disease is hand, foot and mouth disease, which mainly affects young children. Due to its high contagiousness, it can easily trigger outbreaks in kindergartens and childcare centres. Hand, foot and mouth disease can cause mouth ulcers, and children often lose weight because they are in pain and discomfort and do not want to eat. In severe cases, it may even lead to serious complications, so parents should not let their guard down. 10Life has compiled information on the causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of hand, foot and mouth disease to help everyone protect against viral infection.

According to the Department of Health, hand, foot and mouth disease can be caused by various enteroviruses, such as Coxsackievirus and Enterovirus 71 (EV71). It mainly affects young children under the age of five. Symptoms often include a continuous fever for several days, blisters or a rash on the hands and feet, and painful ulcers inside the mouth and beside the tongue, which may affect appetite.

Most patients with hand, foot and mouth disease experience mild symptoms. The blisters and rash usually subside within 7 to 10 days. However, hand, foot and mouth disease may also lead to serious complications, such as viral meningitis and encephalitis.

In addition, a specialist in family medicine has pointed out that adults can also contract hand, foot and mouth disease, and the symptoms after infection may be more severe than in children. Some adult patients may need to take antiviral medication.

According to the Department of Health, hand, foot and mouth disease is mainly spread through direct contact with an infected person’s respiratory secretions, saliva, excreta, ruptured blisters, or contaminated objects. The incubation period is about 3 to 7 days. Hand, foot and mouth disease is highly contagious, and is especially most infectious during the first week after onset.

In the past, the peak season for hand, foot and mouth disease has been from May to July, while smaller peaks may also occur from October to December. Once diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease, children should avoid going to school or taking part in group activities until they have fully recovered, that is, after the fever and rash have subsided, and the ulcers and blisters in the mouth, hands and feet have scabbed over. They should then rest at home for a further two weeks before returning to school.

There is currently no targeted medication for hand, foot and mouth disease, but medicine may be used to relieve discomfort, such as fever and the pain caused by mouth ulcers. In addition, patients should drink plenty of water and get adequate rest, which can help them recover.

Furthermore, to help prevent complications, parents should monitor their children’s condition. If they develop a persistent high fever, appear lethargic, or their condition worsens, they should be taken to see a doctor as soon as possible.

After a patient has recovered from hand, foot and mouth disease, they will develop antibodies against the virus that caused that particular infection. However, they may still be infected again in the future by hand, foot and mouth disease caused by other enteroviruses.

There is currently no vaccine specifically for hand, foot and mouth disease. If you want to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease, the most important thing is to pay attention to personal and environmental hygiene, for example:

• Keep the air circulating
• Wash hands thoroughly before meals and after using the toilet
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
• Children’s toys and utensils should be cleaned properly
• Do not share towels or other personal items with others

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people have become more aware of hygiene. Coupled with long-term mask-wearing and online classes, both adults and children have had less contact with various bacteria and viruses. A family medicine specialist has pointed out that the number of confirmed cases of some common infectious diseases, such as influenza and hand, foot and mouth disease, has indeed declined in recent years. However, mask-wearing is no longer compulsory, and children are generally more vulnerable with weaker immunity, making them more susceptible to illness. Extra caution is needed to prevent viruses from invading.

At the same time, taking out medical insurance early can help children receive suitable treatment more flexibly. If needed, you may refer to 10Life’s earlier articles comparing different voluntary health insurance plans for children: Voluntary health insurance for kindergarten children, Voluntary health insurance comparison for primary school children, or learn more through 10Life’s Insurance Decoder.

Note:   
1. Source: Department of Health, Centre for Health Protection, media reports   
2. Last updated on: 30 August 2023.   

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.