HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH SYNDROME CAUSED BY THE COXSACKIE VIRUS: AN ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE

Abstract

The hand-foot-mouth syndrome is considered a highly contagious disease that affects children under five years of age, because, at birth, babies do not have antibodies. As babies do not have antibody formation, they are targets of infectious diseases, and the hand, foot and mouth syndrome are caused by the Coxsackie group virus that is part of the Enterovirus family, being differentiated by their antigens and pathogenesis in group A that have 23 subtypes, which are those that infect the skin, mouth, nails and eyes, and group B, which have 6 subtypes, causing infection in the heart, pleura, pancreas or liver. Both groups can cause skin infections, fever and aseptic meningitis. Its transmission happens from person to person or through contaminated food and/or objects. Its symptoms usually appear within three to seven days of infection with the virus and can include fever above 38°C, sore throat, poor appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive salivation. Two days after the onset of the first symptoms, painful canker sores appear in the mouth and blisters on the hands, feet and, in some cases, in the intimate regions, causing itching. Its diagnosis is made by the pediatrician or general practitioner through the analysis of symptoms and spots. The treatment of the Syndrome can be done with medicines for fever, such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatory drugs, maintaining its use for seven days and including the distance from the child so that it does not transmit and spread the disease to a certain group