[An epidemic of hand, foot and mouth disease]

Five patients with hand-, foot- and mouth disease, caused by infection with Coxsackievirus type A16, are described in an epidemic outbreak of this disease. Hand-, foot- and mouth disease, is characterized by a most distinctive enanthem-exanthemcomplex. In 65% of the cases a vesiculopapular exanthem is noted. Most cases are described in epidemic outbreaks. Although the vast majority of occurrences of the disease have been due to Coxsackie A16 viral infections, occasionally Coxsackie A5, A10 and enterovirus 71, seldom Coxsackievirus B1 or B3, have been etiologically incriminated. In this article attention is paid to the clinical characteristics, the epidemiology and the differential diagnostic aspects of hand-, foot- and mouth disease.