Published Date: 2007-05-14 23:56:02
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (Shandong)
Archive Number: 20070514.1540

HAND, FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - CHINA (SHANDONG)
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Date: Mon 14 May 2007
Source: Khaleej Times online, Agence France Press report [edited]
<http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/May/theworld_May394.xml§ion=theworld&col>

Responding to an Internet report that said at least 26 children had
died in Linyi between 29 Apr and 11 May 2007, the Shandong Health
Bureau said on its website in a statement posted on Sun 13 May 2007,
"...this illness is a viral infection of the intestines [not so --
see comment at end. - Mod.JW] that commonly occurs in infants and
children in the summer and autumn months," Medical authorities in
Linyi said the deaths were caused by an outbreak of "hand-foot-mouth
disease," which had infected up to 292 children in the city at that
time, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is a viral infection that usually begins
in the throat. It is a relatively common infection caused by a
coxsackievirus, according to the US National Library of Medicine. The
Linyi health bureau only began informing media of the
"hand-foot-mouth disease" on Friday [11 May 2007], after panic had
spread to many households, it said.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Joseph P. Dudley, Ph.D
[Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common illness of infants
and children. It is more prevalent and more severe in the countries
of Southeast Asia than elsewhere. It is characterized by fever, sores
in the mouth, and a rash with blisters. HFMD begins with a mild
fever, poor appetite, malaise ("feeling sick"), and frequently a sore
throat. The skin rash develops over one to 2 days with flat or raised
red spots, some with blisters. The rash does not itch, and it is
usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It
may also appear on the buttocks. The most common cause is
coxsackievirus A16, although sometimes HFMD is caused by enterovirus
71 (EV71) or other enteroviruses.
According to the CDC website, HFMD caused by coxsackievirus A16
infection is a mild disease, and nearly all patients recover without
medical treatment in 7 to 10 days. Complications are uncommon.
Rarely, the patient with coxsackievirus A16 infection may also
develop "aseptic" or viral meningitis, in which case the person has
fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain, and may need to be
hospitalized for a few days. EV71 encephalitis may be fatal. Cases of
fatal encephalitis occurred during outbreaks of HFMD in Malaysia in
1997 and in Taiwan in 1998. The mortality reported in the press
reports of the current HFMD outbreak in the city of Linyi in Shandung
province (26 deaths among 292 children), if accurate, would be an
unprecedented event. Clarification of the situation would be appropriate.
A map of Shandong province can be viewed at
<http://www.maps-of-china.com/shandong-s-ow.shtml>.
- Mod.CP]

See Also

Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20070424.1338
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Sri Lanka (Colombo) 20070311.0869
2006
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - India (Kerala) 20061024.3044
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Thailand 20060907.2535
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak)(08) 20060821.2355
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak)(07) 20060730.2103
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak) (06) 20060725.2050
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak)(06) 20060717.1961
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak) (05) 20060714.1946
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (HK), Malaysia (Sarawak) 20060711.1909
.............................cp/msp/jw
John P. Woodall PhD
Former Director
Nucleus for Investigating Emerging Infectious Diseases
Institute of Medical Biochemistry
Center for Health Sciences
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Brazil

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