An outbreak of hand–foot–mouth disease: A report from the hills of northern India.
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Date
2015-05
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Abstract
Background. Hand–foot–mouth disease (HFMD) is known
to cause outbreaks around the world as well as in India. We
report the clinical characteristics of an outbreak in Dehradun,
Uttarakhand.
Methods. The study was done in the Department of Paediatrics
of a tertiary care referral teaching hospital in northern India.
Children (<18 years of age) presenting with vesicular skin lesions
distributed over the hand, foot and mouth were prospectively
enrolled between August 2013 and October 2013. The diagnosis
of HFMD was made clinically, and laboratory investigations were
done for clinical care. Children were managed with supportive
measures and followed for 6 weeks after discharge. No virological
investigations were done to identify the offending agent.
Results. Thirty-three children (18 boys, 54.5%; median
[range] age 4 [1–17 years]) were enrolled. The majority of
children were <5 years of age (75.8%), who presented with
prodromal symptoms (93.9%), mostly milder (80.6%) in
severity. The most common prodromal symptoms were fever
(93.9%), cough (72.7%) and malaise (54.5%). All children
had rash on their hands and feet whereas the majority (85%)
had oral lesions as well. All children recovered completely and
had no complications during 6 weeks of follow-up.
Conclusion. HFMD was milder and all children (mostly
<5 years of age) recovered completely without complications.
Natl Med J India 2015;28:126–8
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Nanda Chhavi, Singh Ragini, Rana Sudhir K. An outbreak of hand–foot–mouth disease: A report from the hills of northern India. National Medical Journal of India. 2015 May-Jun; 28(3): 126-128.