Clinico-epidemiological study of hand foot & mouth disease

Abstract

Background: Hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) is a self-limiting viral disease which is mainly caused by Coxsackie virus A16 & Enterovirus 71with a distinct clinical presentation of oral lesions and characteristic papulovesicular eruptions on distal extremities, mainly affecting the infants and children.  Aim: To study the clinico-epidemiological features of HFDM during an outbreak in Guntur. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted during the period October 2017 – April 2018. The study included consecutive cases of clinically diagnosed HFMD in children attended to DVL OPD, Guntur General Hospital. Results: Seventy cases of HFMD were detected from October 2017 to April 2018.  Age ranged from seven months to 13 years. Prodromal symptoms of varying intensity were present in all the cases. All patients recovered without any complications. Conclusion: HFMD though occurring as isolated events, rise of epidemics across the globe and India is definitely alarming.