Doc, What is Enterovirus 71 and does it cause Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?
Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), is a virus which causes hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The EV-71 has been known to generally cause severe complications among some patients infected with (HFMD)
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease ,also known as Herpangina, is an acute viral illness that presents as a vesicular eruption in the mouth. HFMD can also involve the hands, feet, buttocks, and/or genitalia. Coxsackievirus A type 16 (CV A16) is the etiologic agent involved in most cases of HFMD, but the illness is also associated with coxsackievirus A5, A7, A9, A10, B2, and B5 strains. Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) has also caused outbreaks of HFMD with associated neurologic involvement in the western Pacific region, which includes Southeast Asia and recently Cambodia.
The human enteroviruses are existing viruses that are transmitted from person to person via direct contact with virus shed from the gastrointestinal or upper respiratory tract. The enteroviruses belong to the Picornaviridae family of viruses and are traditionally divided into 5 subgenera based on differences in host range and pathogenic potential.[1] Each subgenus contains a number of unique serotypes, which are distinguished based on neutralization by specific antisera. The subgenera include polioviruses, coxsackievirus (groups A and B), and echoviruses.
Symptoms include vesicles in the mouth, hands, feet and bottoms sometimes appearing as blisters. Signs involves football shaped vesicles n the buccal, toungue and posterior pharynx.
There is no specific treatment for HFMD,in fact no anti viral therapy is recomended except for supportive therapy. Paracetamol may be given for pain and fever while Antihistamines (Cetirizine, Diphenhydramine) maybe given for pruritus. It should be noted however that patients with CNS manifestations (eg, encephalitis, aseptic meningitis) may require hospitalization.
Photo courtesy of Pediatricsconsultative.com
Photos and images compiled from Google.com
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