Hand-foot-and-mouth disease

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes Risk factors Screening and diagnosis

Complications Treatment Prevention Self-care

Introduction

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is a mild, but highly contagious viral infection common in young children. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is characterized by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. It spreads from person to person, usually through unwashed hands or contaminated surfaces. The most common cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is coxsackievirus infection.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease isn't related to foot-and-mouth disease (sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease), which is an infectious viral disease found in farm animals. You can't contract hand-foot-and-mouth disease from pets or other animals, and you can't transmit it to them.

There's no specific treatment for hand-foot-and-mouth disease. You can reduce your risk of infection by practicing good hygiene, such as washing your hands often and thoroughly.

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Signs and symptoms