Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

A common symptom of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is fever. This disease affects the skin and mucous membranes, causing painful sores to appear inside the mouth. The rash typically appears on the hands and feet, and occasionally on the arms, upper legs, buttocks, or genitals and less commonly on the torso and face. Children have a sore throat or mouth pain and may refuse to eat. The sores usually heal quickly.

Depending on which virus causes this disease, children rarely develop central nervous system infections such as aseptic meningitis Viral Meningitis or encephalitis Encephalitis Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain that occurs when a virus directly infects the brain or when a virus, vaccine, or something else triggers inflammation. The spinal cord may also be involved... read more .

A strain of coxsackievirus that causes atypical forms of hand-foot-and-mouth disease can cause the sores to appear on different parts of the body. The sores vary in size and sometimes are severe. Aseptic meningitis may also occur with these atypical forms, but most people recover completely.

To diagnose hand-foot-and-mouth disease, doctors examine the sores.

Doctors may send samples of material taken from the throat or stool to a laboratory for culture and testing.

A simple and effective way to help prevent hand-foot-and-mouth disease is handwashing. Caregivers should wash their hands after changing diapers. Because most infections that cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease are transmitted by person-to-person contact, particularly through direct or indirect contact with infected stool, good handwashing with soap and water after a bowel movement is an important means of prevention.

Diaper-changing areas should be disinfected with a freshly prepared solution of household bleach (¼ cup [60 mL] bleach diluted in 1 gallon [3.79 L] of water). Frequently touched surfaces and soiled items, including toys, should be cleaned and disinfected.

People should avoid close contact, such as kissing and hugging, and sharing eating utensils or cups with infected people.

There is currently no vaccine approved for use in the United States against the viruses that cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease.

Treatment of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is aimed at relieving symptoms.

Drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can relieve pain and fever. (CAUTION: Aspirin should not be given to children because of the risk of Reye syndrome Reye Syndrome Reye syndrome is a very rare but life-threatening disorder that causes inflammation and swelling of the brain and impairment and loss of function of the liver. The cause of Reye syndrome is... read more .) Teeth should be brushed gently with a soft toothbrush and rinsed with salt water. People should eat a soft diet and avoid acidic or salty foods. It is important to drink enough liquids to avoid dehydration, even if mouth sores are painful.