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Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a more familiar term for Coxsackievirus. Coxsackievirus 16 is the more specific pathogen for hand, foot, and mouth disease in the United States, and is part of the enterovirus family. It originated in Coxsackie, New York and was isolated there in 1948.

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Coxsackievirus 16 visualized under a microscope is fascinating to me because it looks similar to how it appears on the hands, feet, and mouth.

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Coxsackievirus 16, mostly occurs in young children younger than 5 years old, however, it can also be contracted in adults as well.

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Symptoms of the virus are usually mild but some cases can be severe. Signs and symptoms of Coxsackievirus 16 usually occur 1-2 days after the person has been infected.

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Signs and symptoms of Coxsackievirus 16 include fever, sore throat and common cold like symptoms. The most definite signs are a painful rash that forms blisters to hands, feet and mouth giving the common name to this virus hand, foot, and mouth disease.

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People infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease take approximately 7-10 days to recover on their own with minimal medical treatment.

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Hand, foot, and mouth disease is spread through respiratory droplets, direct contact with blisters, poop and contact with objects or surfaces that have virus particles.

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Treatment for hand,foot, and mouth disease involves managing symptoms with over-the-counter medications such as pain and fever reducers, medicated mouthwash and topical ointments as there is no prescription medication or vaccination available to treat or prevent Coxsackievirus 16.

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As with most all infections, frequent hand washing is the first step to prevention. CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Washing hands after changing diapers, caring of someone with hand, foot, and mouth disease, after using the restroom, coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose is highly recommended due to the way the virus is transmitted. It is also important not to touch unwashed hands to your face, clean and disinfect surfaces and objects such as doorknobs and toys, avoid close contact with an infected person and help children wash their hands.

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Treatment also includes prevention of dehydration. This is crucial as most people will not want to eat or drink due to painful mouth sores.

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Information for this project came from the CDC website and from my own personal experience caring for children and a husband with Coxsackievirus 16.

References for this project are:

https://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/index.html

https://microchemlab.com/microorganisms/coxsackieviruses/

https://sciencephotogallery.com/featured/2-coxsackie-virus-structure-roger-harrisscience-photo-library.html

https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/Coxsackie_virus

https://www.childnurture.com/article/enteroviruses

https://www.doc4kids.com/children-hand-foot-mouth-disease/

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/20/5201

https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/1001/p408.html

https://www.shutterstock.com/search/coxsackievirus

https://www.reddit.com/r/workingmoms/comments/18rkb76/hand_foot_mouth_in_adults_after_baby_was_infected/?rdt=48329

https://x.com/x3_brooke/status/1114168336210751489