Profiles of Human Enteroviruses Associated with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Nanjing, China.

OBJECTIVE: Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common infectious disease caused by a group of viruses. The causative viruses have changed over time, and there is a need for a more effective protective vaccine. In this study, we investigated the profiles of human enteroviruses that caused HFMD outbreaks in Nanjing in 2015, with the goal of guiding the future prevention and treatment of HFMD. METHODS: Specimens were collected from 1097 patients admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with HFMD. Enteroviruses in the specimens were identified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and epidemiological patterns were analyzed with the clinical data. RESULTS: Among the 1097 clinically diagnosed HFMD cases, 916 cases were confirmed by laboratory tests. The results showed that the main infectious virus was coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) (41.75%), followed by enterovirus 71 (EV71) (27.48%), coxsackievirus A16 (7.43%), coxsackievirus A10 (6.84%), and others (16.51%). Further investigation indicated that CVA6 caused mild cases of HFMD, while EV71 caused severe cases. More enterovirus positive cases were reported from rural areas than from urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: CA6 and EV71 were the chief pathogenic viruses of HFMD cases in the present study. Schools, childcare centers, and families from rural areas should be the major targets for prevention and awareness of HFMD. This study will provide information useful in the prevention and management of HFMD and the development of relevant vaccines for HFMD in the future. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:740-744).

Dermatological spectrum of hand, foot and mouth disease from classical to generalized exanthema.

BACKGROUND: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is classically defined as a childhood fever accompanied by a rash with vesicles or erosions of the oral mucosa, hands, feet and sometimes the buttocks. Severe neurological complications are associated with enterovirus 71 outbreaks in Asia. Recently, it has been suggested that HFMD is related to coxsackie virus A6 (CV-A6) when there is an atypical rash. The objective of the study is to determine the dermatological pattern of HFMD and to identify the virus serotypes associated with a specific dermatological pattern. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in 7 pediatric dermatology units in France from March 2010 to February 2012. All children with clinically suspected diagnosis of HFMD were included. Clinical data were collected and swabs from the nasopharynx and vesicles were taken for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and genotyping. Only children with confirmed HFMD--defined by clinical diagnosis of HFMD and positive enterovirus polymerase chain reaction results--were included for analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and four children consulted for suspected HFMD, including 89 (mean age: 25.7 months; sex ratio M/F 1.54) with confirmed HFMD. Seventy-eight (87.6%) had skin lesions on sites other than hand, feet and mouth. Thirty-seven (41.5%) had 5 or more anatomical sites involved (hand, feet and mouth, buttocks, legs, arms and trunk) considered as widespread exanthema. Widespread vesicular exanthema was observed with both CV-A6 and CV-A16. Peri-oral rash was associated with CV-A6 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HFMD has a clinical spectrum ranging from classical to generalized vesicular exanthema. Generalized and atypical exanthema were observed with both CV-A6 and CV-A16 infections. CV-A6 is associated with peri-oral rash.