A review of enterovirus-associated hand-foot and mouth disease: preventive strategies and the need for a global enterovirus surveillance network.

Abstract

Enterovirus (EV)-associated hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a significant public health issue worldwide, commonly occurring in children five years of age or younger. The leading causes of most HFMD cases are EVs, which are members of the Picornaviridae family. The typical clinical manifestations of EV-associated HFMD are febrile presentations with mucosal herpangina, oral ulcerations, and skin rashes on the hands and feet. The majority of HFMD cases resolve without consequence; however, a subset progresses to severe neurological and cardiopulmonary complications, which can be fatal. In the past two decades, EV-associated HFMD has received significant attention. In this review, we organize published papers and provide updates on epidemiology, pathogenesis, surveillance, and vaccine developments for EV-associated HFMD. The impact of EV-associated HFMD is increasing globally. Developing efficacious vaccines has become a priority for preventing EV infections without adequate treatment. Simultaneously, emerging EV infections (including EV-D68, EV-A71, Coxsackieviruses, and echoviruses) are increasing, highlighting the need to create a vigilant surveillance system for EV infections worldwide.