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Very common viral infection caused by the Coxsackie A or B virus. It particularly affects children younger than 4 years, although it may affect any age group.
It has a 3-6 day incubation period from infection to the start of symptoms. The most common symptoms are: vesicles or aphthae in the mouth and/or throat of 1-2 mm of diameter, throat pain and congestion, drooling and fever.
The diagnosis is clinical through medical questioning and a physical examination.
Treatment is symptomatic with antipyretics for fever and/or analgesia for pain. To relieve pain when swallowing a diet with cold, fluid or soft foods is advised. It is important to maximize hygiene measures to avoid contagion as well.
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- de Crom SC, Rossen JW, van Furth AM, Obihara CC. Enterovirus and parechovirus infection in children: a brief overview. Eur J Pediatr 2016; 175:1023.
- Puenpa J. et al. . Prevalence and Characterization of Enterovirus Infections among Pediatric Patients with Hand Foot Mouth Disease, Herpangina and Influenza Like Illness in Thailand. PLoS One9, e98888 (2014).
- Lee C. J. et al. . Clinical features of coxsackievirus A4, B3 and B4 infections in children. PLoS One9, e87391 (2014).
- Zong W, He Y, Yu S, Yang H, Xian H, Liao Y, Hu G: Molecular phylogeny of Coxsackievirus A16 in Shenzhen, China, from 2005 to 2009. J Clin Microbiol. 2011, 49: 1659-1661.
Dr. Maria Trabazo
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