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Hand-foot-and-mouth disease

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By Jeannette Curtis; Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS

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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.

Author:Jeannette Curtis
Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Medical Review:
Last Updated: 05/25/2007