Abstract
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is most frequently caused by several serotypes of human enterovirus (EV) including Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71), coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16), or other types of EV. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD and to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of HFMD among severe and mild cases. We collected 4760 HFMD cases in Hangzhou from 2016 to 2018. Specimens from these cases were collected and tested for EV-A71, CV-A16, CV-A6, CV-A10, CV-A2, and CV-A5 by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. From 2016 to 2018, the prevalence of HFMD was seasonal each year. Among the 4760 probable HFMD cases, 3559 cases were confirmed (74.8%), including 426 cases of EV-A71 infections (8.9%), 249 cases of CV-A16 infections (5.2%), and 2884 cases of other EV infections (60.6%). The percentage of other EV infections was more than 80%, which increased year by year. Random selection of samples for detection of other EV infections in 2017 and 2018, among the 1297 cases, showed there were 835 (64.4%) cases of CV-A6 infections, 177 (13.6%) cases of CV-A10 infections, 100 (7.7%) cases of CV-A2 infections, 40 (3.1%) cases of CV-A5 infections, 3 (0.02 %) cases of mixed infections, and 11.0% untyped EV infections. Preschool children were still the primary population susceptible to HFMD. In severe cases, EV-A71 infection was the main cause. Characterizing the epidemiology and the relationship between severe and common cases of HFMD would provide relevant evidences for the prevention and treatment of HFMD.
Highlights
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is most frequently caused by several serotypes of human enterovirus (EV) including Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) or other types of EV
A total of 3559 specimens were tested positive for EV by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which were comprised of 426 cases positive for Enterovirus A71 (EV71) infections, 249 cases positive for coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) infections and 2884 cases of other EV infections
Other enteroviruses replaced EV71 and CV-A16 as the major serotype during 2016 to 2018, accounting for over 80% of EV positive HFMD cases
Summary
Foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is most frequently caused by several serotypes of human enterovirus (EV) including Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) or other types of EV. Methods We collected 4760 probable HFMD cases with skin papular or vesicular rashes on the hands, feet, mouth or buttocks in Hangzhou from 2016 to 2018. Specimens of these cases were collected and the pathogen of EV71, CV-A16, CV-A6, CV-A10, CV-A2 and CV-A5 was classified by RT-PCR. Enterovirus A71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) are the most common pathogens causing HFMD in children[2,3,4,5]. We found that the number of HFMD cases has increased very much since the nationwide HFMD outbreak in China in 2008, and the number of HFMD cases has been the head of the lethal infectious diseases in our country for five consecutive years since 2013, according to the report of National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China
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