Patient's question:
My child's teacher called me, saying that my child had hand, foot, and mouth disease, with blisters on their fingers. She urged me to take her to the hospital for diagnosis. When I arrived, the doctor said it was just normal small blisters and that there was only a common oral ulcer in the mouth, not hand, foot, and mouth disease. What are the routes of transmission for hand, foot, and mouth disease?Doctor's answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is mainly spread through the fecal-oral route. For example, if a baby touches items contaminated with hand, foot, and mouth disease, such as industrial pollutants, and fails to wash their face, the virus can enter the mouth and reach the intestines, leading to the disease. People with hand, foot, and mouth disease excrete enteroviruses through their urine, feces, and saliva. Therefore, to prevent infection, it is important to maintain good hand hygiene and wash one's face before meals and after using the restroom.