Hand, Foot Mouth Disease free essay sample

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease GE 1092 English Composition IA Abstract Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection, usually caused by Coxsackievirus A. It’s highly contagious and spreads through coughing, sneezing, sneezes, and even contact with infected stools. Hand, foot and mouth disease is common in children but rare in healthy adults. Most adults are immune to the virus because they had contact with it as a child. Early symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease include a fever and sore throat, followed by sores or blisters in your mouth and on your hands and feet.The incubation period is  three to six  days. During this time, the virus can be passed on. There’s no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease, but there are steps that you can take to ease your symptoms. Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral infection caused by a strain of Coxsackie virus. We will write a custom essay sample on Hand, Foot Mouth Disease or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hand foot and mouth disease is a common infection in children three to ten years of age. Hand, foot and mouth disease can sometimes be confused with strep throat at first until the test results for strep come back negative.The virus in the hand, foot and mouth disease cannot be destroyed by the acid in the stomach, and can live on surfaces for several hours. Once a person gets the virus, it takes an average of one to two days for the symptoms to develop. People are most contagious in the first week of illness, but the virus may still be present up to one week after symptoms go away. The virus itself in hand, foot and mouth disease may be present longer in children and those whose immune system are weak. There is no vaccine available, and there is no drug that specifically kills the virus. However, symptomatic treatment would be acetaminophen that reduces fever and discomfort is currently recommended. Mouthwashes and sprays may lessen the oral discomfort. Fluids are also suggested to prevent dehydration. Do not drink acidic juices which may irritate the mouth ulcers. Also, some physicians may also recommend Benadryl containing get or liquids to treat the hand and foot discomfort. The key to preventing hand, foot and mouth disease is good hand washing and covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing. Hand foot and mouth disease infections are mild and may not even cause any symptoms. It is common for the virus to cause an upper respiratory tract infection with sore throat and/or runny nose, as well as having a fever. By day two, the patient may get small tender blisters and red spots on the palms, soles of the feet,inside the mouth, and sometimes on the buttocks as well. In the mouth, sores occur on the tongue, gums, and cheeks. In some cases the patient will get a skin rash before the blister. The blister will then break open and crust over which usually goes away within a week or so. Hand, foot and mouth disease is rare in healthy adults, so the risk of infection during pregnancy is very low.If a pregnant woman gets hand, foot and mouth disease, the risk of complications is also very low. There is some  limited evidence that catching hand, foot and mouth disease during pregnancy may result in miscarriage in very rare cases. There’s normally no risk to your unborn baby if you catch hand, foot and mouth disease. However, newborns may also obtain the virus from infected adults or children. This can usually happen in the nurseries or be transmitted during pregnancy at the time of delivery. During delivery, the infant can come into contact with the mother’s secretions.Some infected babies will have a mild illness, but infants are at higher risk. Hand, foot and mouth disease is spread from person to person. The virus may be spread by coming in contact with respiratory secretions from infected persons. If an infected person was to rub their runny noses and then touch a surface, that surface can harbor the virus and become a source of infection. The infection is spread when another person touches the contaminated surface and then touches his or her mouth or nose. Hand, foot and mouth disease can also be spread if you are in contact with infected stool, such as changing a diaper.