Analysis of the etiological characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease in 3 193 cases

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the etiological and epidemic features of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in Dongguan from 2015 to 2018, providing basic information for disease prevention and control. Methods: Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used for detecting the nucleic acid of coxsackievirus A16 (CA16), enterovirus 71 (EV71) and universal enteroviruses (EV) in anal swab samples from suspected HFMD patients. Results: Out of 3 193 HFMD specimens, 2 073 samples (64.92%) were enterovirus nucleic acid positive. The positive rates of CA16 and EV71 were 8.44% and 8.25%, respectively. Majority of patients (97.41%) with HFMD were age <5 years old. Patients aged 1- 2 years accounted for 45.78%. The positive rate of EV71 infection in boys was higher than that in girls (χ2=4.49, P=0.034). Conclusions: The main pathogens of HFMD were EVs other than CA16 and EV71 from year 2015-2018 in DongGuan, suggesting that EVs detection is necessary in monitoring HFMD. Because that there is a high prevalence in children under 5 years of age, and that boys are more likely to be infected with EV71 than girls, the management and protection of children in this age group should be strengthened in the management of HFMD.

Keywords

• hand-foot-mouth disease
• coxsackievirus a16
• enterovirus 71