Is hand, foot and mouth disease contagious?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is contagious. It is an infectious disease caused by enterovirus and is mainly transmitted through the digestive tract, respiratory tract and close contact.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is more common in children under 5 years old, especially in places where children gather, such as kindergartens, and can easily cause a small-scale epidemic. The incubation period of the disease is usually 2-10 days, with an average of 3-5 days. During the incubation period, the patient may not have obvious symptoms, but is still contagious.

The main symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease include fever, oral ulcers, hand and foot rash, etc. These symptoms usually appear within a week after infection, and in severe cases may cause complications such as myocarditis, meningitis, etc. Once a child is found to have symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease, he should seek medical attention in time.

The key to preventing hand, foot and mouth disease is to cut off the transmission route. Parents should educate their children to develop good personal hygiene habits, such as washing hands frequently and not eating raw or cold food. At the same time, avoid taking children to crowded places and reduce contact with sick children.

For children who are already sick, parents should take isolation measures to prevent the virus from spreading to family members or other children. During treatment, it is also very important to keep the indoor air circulating and regularly disinfect children's toys and clothes.

Although hand, foot and mouth disease is contagious, most patients have mild symptoms and the course of the disease is self-limited, usually healing in about a week. Only a few patients will develop serious complications and need timely medical treatment.