Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Children: Clinical Characteristics of an Outbreak in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Abstract

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a relatively common mild viral infection that usually affects young children, mainly occurring during the late spring, early summer, and fall months. It is most commonly caused by members of the human enterovirus (HEV) genus. Recently, HFMD has received renewed attention because of evidence that this disease could have clinical, epidemiological, and etiological characteristics different from those initially associated with it. HFMD may be associated with neurologic or cardiopulmonary complications and can, rarely, lead to death. Our study was a retrospective analysis on 83 children (<18 years of age) who were clinically diagnosed with HFMD at the Department of Dermatology of the Institute for Child and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina, in a single, tertiary-care university hospital in Novi Sad, Vojvodina province, Serbia, for the time period from January 2016 to December 2017. During the study period, HFMD was diagnosed in 83 children. Our results suggest that the outbreak of HFMD occurred in younger children (average age 3.10 years), who seem to be the most susceptible age group for HFMD infection. Taking into account that the diagnosis of HFMD is usually clinical, we believe that it is important for health professionals to be well-informed about the clinical features and the course of the disease. Good personal hygiene and the implementation of a surveillance system can help stop the spread of the disease and prevent outbreaks.