Answer:
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is an acute infectious illness caused by the Enterovirus group of intestinal viruses. It spreads easily through contact with secretions, feces, saliva, or contaminated objects. Notably, the viruses causing HFMD in children, especially those under six years old, include various strains such as coxsackievirus A16, A6, and enterovirus 71 (EV71). The EV71 strain itself has many subgroups, including B3, B4, B5, C1, C4, and C5. Children can contract the disease multiple times due to different virus strains and different EV71 subgroups. For example, a child previously infected with the B4 subgroup of EV71 can be reinfected with the C1 subgroup.
A study conducted on 1,842 children with recurrent HFMD in Wuhan, China, published in the US National Library of Medicine (2018), showed that the interval between infections was at least 15 days or several months. This study also indicated a higher reinfection rate in children under three years old, and reinfection could occur more than four times, depending on exposure to circulating virus strains, hygiene practices, and the child's immune system.
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A 32-month-old boy, who previously had hand, foot, and mouth disease three times, was brought by his parents to VNVC Phu Yen to receive the hand, foot, and mouth disease vaccine to prevent reinfection. Photo: Minh Yen
Even after four infections, your 2-year-old child's case of HFMD should not be taken lightly. Currently, HFMD cases, hospitalizations, and severe complications are increasing across provinces and cities. To help children avoid reinfection, you should consistently practice the "three cleans" principle: clean eating, clean living, and clean hands. Ensure children consume adequate nutrients, drink enough water, boost vitamin intake from vegetables, fruits, and juices, and get sufficient sleep, sun exposure, and exercise to strengthen their immunity. Avoid exposing children to others who are coughing, feverish, have a sore throat, or skin rashes/blisters.
Children not yet in school can also contract the disease from adults or older children in the household who carry the pathogen but show no symptoms. Therefore, adults and older children returning from school or work should wash their hands, change clothes, and shower before interacting with the child. If a child is reinfected, parents should seek medical attention and closely monitor for severe signs such as persistent high fever, startling, tremors in limbs, rapid breathing, continuous crying, or refusing to eat.
The Ministry of Health has licensed a hand, foot, and mouth disease vaccine for children from two months to under six years old. The vaccine has been rolled out by the VNVC Vaccination System nationwide since 25/9. In over half a month, VNVC administered more than 100,000 doses and received hundreds of thousands of pre-bookings. The vaccine helps prevent the disease and the risk of reinfection caused by the EV71 strain, an agent capable of rapid spread and causing neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory complications such as encephalitis, meningitis, brainstem encephalitis, and cardiopulmonary failure. You should consult a doctor so your child can be vaccinated early to prevent reinfection caused by EV71.
M.Sc. Dr. Ngo Thi Kim Phuong
Medical Manager, VNVC Vaccination System
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