How do you get hand, foot and mouth disease?
Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common childhood infectious disease that has experienced frequent outbreaks around the world in recent years, especially in summer and autumn. In order to better understand the transmission routes and preventive measures of hand, foot and mouth disease, we have compiled hot topics and hot content in the past 10 days to help everyone respond scientifically.
1. Causes and transmission routes of hand, foot and mouth disease

Hand, foot and mouth disease is mainly caused by enteroviruses, the most common being Coxsackievirus A16 (Cox A16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71). The following are its main transmission routes:
| Transmission route | Specific instructions |
|---|---|
| spread by direct contact | It is spread through contact with patient’s herpes fluid, saliva, feces and other secretions. |
| droplet spread | Droplets produced when a patient coughs or sneezes can spread the virus. |
| indirect contact transmission | Infection occurs after contact with toys, tableware, towels and other items contaminated with the virus. |
| mother-to-child transmission | Infections in pregnant women may be transmitted to the fetus through the placenta or during delivery. |
2. Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease
Typical symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease include fever, mouth sores and rash on the hands and feet. Here is a detailed breakdown of its common symptoms:
| Symptom type | Specific performance |
|---|---|
| Fever | Most of them are low-grade fever (around 38℃), which lasts for 1-2 days. |
| oral symptoms | Herpes or ulcers appear in the mouth, causing severe pain and affecting eating. |
| rash | Red maculopapular rash or herpes appears on the hands, feet, buttocks and other parts of the body. |
| Other symptoms | Some patients may experience cough, runny nose, loss of appetite, etc. |
3. High incidence groups and seasons of hand, foot and mouth disease
Hand, foot and mouth disease is more common in children under 5 years old, especially infants and young children in day care institutions. The following is its peak season and population distribution:
| High season | High-risk groups |
|---|---|
| Summer (May-July) | Children in day care institutions |
| Autumn (September-November) | preschool children |
| Distributed throughout the year | People with low immunity |
4. Preventive measures for hand, foot and mouth disease
The key to preventing hand, foot and mouth disease is to cut off transmission routes and improve immunity. The following are specific prevention recommendations:
| Precautions | Specific methods |
|---|---|
| personal hygiene | Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating and after using the toilet; avoid touching your mouth and nose with your hands. |
| Environmental health | Disinfect toys, tableware, clothing, etc. regularly; maintain indoor ventilation. |
| Isolate patient | Children should be isolated at home and avoid contact with other children. |
| Vaccination | EV71 vaccine can effectively prevent severe hand, foot and mouth disease. |
5. Treatment and care of hand, foot and mouth disease
At present, there is no specific medicine for hand, foot and mouth disease, and treatment is mainly symptomatic and supportive. The following are care points:
| Nursing measures | Specific content |
|---|---|
| heat treatment | Antipyretics (such as ibuprofen) can be used when the body temperature exceeds 38.5°C. |
| oral care | Rinse your mouth with light salt water and avoid irritating foods. |
| rash care | Keep your skin clean and avoid scratching. |
| diet conditioning | Provide liquid or semi-liquid food to ensure nutritional intake. |
6. Recent hot events
According to the search data of the entire Internet in the past 10 days, topics related to hand, foot and mouth disease mainly focus on the following aspects:
| hot topics | Attention |
|---|---|
| Hand, foot and mouth disease outbreaks in kindergartens in many places | high |
| EV71 vaccine supply is tight | in |
| How parents can identify severe hand, foot and mouth disease | high |
| Summer Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Guidelines | in |
Although hand, foot and mouth disease is common, the risk of infection can be effectively reduced through scientific prevention and care. Parents and childcare institutions should pay close attention to children's health, detect and deal with suspected cases in a timely manner, and jointly protect children's health.
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