As the school season approaches, the enterovirus epidemic continues to rise, becoming the number one concern for parents. Pediatricians particularly remind that if young children at home show symptoms such as fever, throat ulcers, and blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks, they should immediately seek medical attention to check for enterovirus infection.
A three-year-old boy named Wu had just started kindergarten for two weeks when he was rushed to the hospital with a high fever of 39.5 degrees Celsius. Upon examination, it was found that his hands and feet were covered with blisters, and there were ulcers at the back of his throat, leading to a diagnosis of hand, foot, and mouth disease caused by enterovirus. Due to the pain in his mouth, which made eating difficult, the doctor decided to admit him to the hospital. Fortunately, after a few days of treatment, his symptoms gradually improved, and he was eventually discharged.
After contracting enterovirus, patients typically exhibit three major symptoms: fever, throat ulcers, and blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks. (Photo / Courtesy of freepik)
After contracting enterovirus, patients usually exhibit three typical symptoms: fever, throat ulcers, and blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks. Although most patients can recover on their own within 4 to 14 days, a small number of patients, especially children under five years old, may progress to severe cases, leading to serious complications such as encephalitis, acute limb paralysis, or even life-threatening conditions.
Among the types of enterovirus, EV-A71 is the most likely to cause severe illness. Dr. Lin Zuo-lin pointed out that early warning signs of severe cases include drowsiness, confusion, lack of energy, weakness in the limbs, rapid breathing and heartbeat, persistent vomiting, and sudden fright or muscle twitching. If parents notice these symptoms, they should immediately take their child to the hospital.
The most important measures to prevent enterovirus are maintaining good hygiene practices, including frequent hand washing, wearing masks, avoiding crowds, and regularly disinfecting the environment. Additionally, there is a vaccine available for EV-A71 with a protective efficacy of up to 96.8%, which can effectively prevent severe illness. Doctors strongly recommend that parents of children aged two months to under six years old follow medical advice and arrange for vaccination against EV-A71 as soon as possible to protect their children's health.
