[Hand, foot and mouth disease, a not so benign affection: clinical reminder and potential complications]

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is an infection appearing in epidemics and due, in most cases, to Coxsackie-virus A16 and/or Enterovirus 71 or, less often, to other Coxsackie-virus serotypes. The symptomatology mostly consists in vesicular eruption of the anterior part of the buccal mucosa as well as of hands and feet. Its evolution, although often benign, can include cardiopulmonary and neurological complications. The latter complications require a quickly detection and treatment, and prevention of virus transmission to other people must be adequate.