Update on Enterovirus 71 Infections: Epidemiology, Molecular Epidemiology, and Vaccine Development

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infections are one of the main etiological agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), or herpangina, worldwide. The purpose of this study was to explore the epidemiology and molecular epidemiology of EV71 infection as well as the prospects for the development of an EV71 vaccine. We performed a search for “enterovirus 71” and “epidemiology” or “molecular epidemiology” or “vaccine” in Medline and PubMed to search through previous studies. Only articles that were published in the English language were included for review in this study. The morbidity of EV71 infection was different among different countries; seasonal variations in its incidence were also observed. Most patients with EV71 infection were children below 5 years of age. The organ most likely involved in EV71 infection is the brainstem. The infection’s genetic lineages are undergoing rapid evolutionary changes. The association between the occurrence of EV71 infection and the circulation of different genetic strains of EV71 virus (genotypes B3, B4, C1, C2, C4, and C4a) has been identified around the world. EV71 infection is an important life-threatening communicable disease, and there is an urgent global need for vaccine development for the prevention and control of EV71 epidemics. To establish a global surveillance system of EV71 infection for the identification and detection of the potential emergence of new EV71 variants is needed in the future.