Current investigation of silent infection among relevant medical staffs and families having children with hand, foot and mouth disease

Abstract

Objective To explore and analyze the on-site investigation of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) silent infection among medical staffs and children families, so as to provide evidence for the prevention of HFMD. Methods Totals of 42 medical staffs, who worked at HFMD ward, and 101 family members , who had children with HFMD, had been selected to take throat swab and stool samples during the period of HFMD outbreak from March to June 2013. According to the close degree of contact, the family members were divided into intimate contact group and non close contact group. All samples qualitatively classified through universal enterovirus type (UE), enterovirus 71 type (EV71), Coxsackie virus A group 16 type (CA16) to judge weather HFMD was silent infection or not. Results All 42 medical staffs presented negative for samples, but 25 cases of family members (24.75%) showed positive UE, 22 cases positive EV71 (21.78%), 3 cases other positive enterovirus type (2.97%), no positive CA16. The throat swap positive EV rate of HFMD children family members reached 3.45%, EV positive rate of stool samples 33.33% (χ2=9.913, P<0.01); the positive EV71 rate for throat swap was 3.45%, stool samples 29.17% (χ2=8.028, P<0.01). The EV and EV71 positive rate and for family members in the non close contact group were 23.40% (11/47) and 23.40% (11/47) compared 25.93% (14/54) and 20.37% (11/54) for family members in the close contact group. Conclusions When we understand the mechanism of transmission, we can improve the prevention of HFMD. It is worthy to popularize the measures such as the establishment of hospital infection prevention system, the increasing attention of disinfection and isolation, strengthening health education and awareness of medical staffs. Key words: Hand, foot and mouth disease; Medical staffs; Enterovirus; Silent infection; Prevention