Summer is the peak time for hand, foot and mouth disease. Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is an acute infectious disease that mainly affects children under 5 years of age, mainly caused by enterovirus infection, and children's gathering places such as schools and kindergartens are often the hardest hit areas of the disease.
In the pediatric clinic of Huizhou Central People's Hospital, many parents with children are waiting in the corridor. According to the doctor, at present, Huizhou hand, foot and mouth disease has not ushered in an outbreak period, but the number is gradually increasing. The Central People's Hospital, for example, saw 100 cases of HFMD in April, but 47 cases have been treated in the last week.
Yan Chunhong, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Emergency Pediatrics, Huizhou Central People's Hospital: June and July are the main outbreak periods of hand, foot and mouth disease, which are currently sporadic and have not yet reached a major outbreak. Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by an enterovirus that presents with fever and a blister-like rash on the mouth, hands and feet, anus, knees, and other skin. It is accompanied by vomiting, not eating or drinking, and poor mental state. In severe cases, cardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur, as well as severe manifestations such as brainstem encephalitis and respiratory failure.
If a child is accidentally infected with HFMV, it is important to maintain indoor ventilation during home isolation, and wash hands frequently for both children and family members.
Yan Chunhong, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Emergency Pediatrics of Huizhou Central People's Hospital: When a child has hand, foot and mouth disease, he should be strictly isolated at home, do not go to crowded places, avoid spreading to others, and isolate for at least two weeks. Children's used tableware, toys and chopsticks should be strictly cleaned and disinfected
According to the doctor, there were no serious cases of hand, foot and mouth among the children treated by the central hospital this year. It is understood that severe hand, foot and mouth are basically caused by EV71. The hand, foot and mouth vaccine we often say is a vaccine against the EV71 virus, which has a protection rate of about 40% against this type of virus, and can also significantly reduce the probability of developing severe disease after infection, so it is recommended to take children to get vaccinated as soon as possible. In recent years, with the widespread use of EV71 vaccine, the proportion of severe cases of hand, foot and mouth has decreased significantly. For the treatment of hand, foot and mouth disease, there is no specific drug in clinical practice, and vaccination is the best prevention plan.
Yan Chunhong, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Emergency Pediatrics, Huizhou Central People's Hospital: The vaccine is best to be completed before the age of 12 months, with two doses and one month apart, this vaccine injection is the best way to block hand, foot and mouth disease.
However, it should be noted that there are dozens of pathogens of HFMD, and there is no vaccine to prevent HFMD caused by other enterovirus serotypes (non-EV71). In addition, even if a child has had hand, foot and mouth in the past, it is possible to be infected repeatedly because there is more than one type of virus. Since HFMD can be transmitted through a variety of routes (including close contact, respiratory secretions, blister fluid, water and food contaminated with the virus, etc.), prevention can be achieved by maintaining good hand hygiene, not taking children to crowded places during HFMD epidemics, paying attention to food hygiene, not drinking raw water, and cooking food thoroughly before eating.