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Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is an infection in young children, usually caused by the Coxsackie virus. It is easily spread through contact with the infected person's saliva, mucus, or feces.

Symptoms are usually mild and include a rash of small sores or blisters that usually appear on the hands and feet and in the mouth. In general, treatment is not needed for hand-foot-and-mouth disease, because it goes away on its own in about 7 to 10 days.

Last Revised: April 14, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease

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