Fun Facts on Roseola & HFMD

Some fun facts on Roseola:


How is roseola spread?
Roseola is spread from person to person, most likely by transfer of oral secretions. Roseola is not very contagious. The incubation period between exposure to the virus and onset of symptoms is nine to 10 days. Humans are the only natural hosts for HHV-6 and HHV-7. Unlike other viral infections, roseola occurs throughout the year without seasonal variation.

What are roseola symptoms and signs?
The signs and symptoms of HHV-6 (or HHV-7) infection vary depending upon the age of the patient. Infants and toddlers routinely will develop sudden symptoms with a sudden onset of a high fever that lasts for three to five days, irritability, bulging "soft spot" on the head (fontanel), swollen glands in the front or back of the neck, runny nose, puffy eyelids (due to swelling with fluid), and mild diarrhea. Within 12-24 hours of the fever breaking, a rash rapidly appears. Older children who develop HHV-6 (or HHV-7) infection are more likely to have an illness characterized by several days of high fever and possibly a runny nose and/or diarrhea. Older children less commonly develop a rash as the fever abates.

[http://www.medicinenet.com/roseola/article.htm]


Some fun facts on HFMD:
Illness
-The disease usually begins with a fever, poor appetite, malaise (feeling vaguely unwell), and often with a sore throat.
-One or 2 days after fever onset, painful sores usually develop in the mouth. They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks.
-A non-itchy skin rash develops over 1–2 days. The rash has flat or raised red spots, sometimes with blisters. The rash is usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; it may also appear on the buttocks and/or genitalia.
-A person with HFMD may have only the rash or only the mouth sores.

Cause of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
-HFMD is caused by viruses that belong to the enterovirus genus (group). This group of viruses includes polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and enteroviruses.
-Coxsackievirus A16 is the most common cause of HFMD in the United States, but other coxsackieviruses have been associated with the illness.
-Enteroviruses, including enterovirus 71, have also been associated with HFMD and with outbreaks of the disease.

How Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Is Spread
-Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with infectious virus. Infectious virus is found in the nose and throat secretions, saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons. The virus is most often spread by persons with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands and by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces.
-Infected persons are most contagious during the first week of the illness.
-The viruses that cause HFMD can remain in the body for weeks after a patient's symptoms have gone away. This means that the infected person can still pass the infection to other people even though he/she appears well. Also, some persons who are infected and excreting the virus, including most adults, may have no symptoms.
-HFMD is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals.

Factors That Increase the Chance for Infection or Disease
-Everyone who has not already been infected with an enterovirus that causes HFMD is at risk of infection, but not everyone who is infected with an enterovirus becomes ill with HFMD.
-HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years old but can also occur in adults. Children are more likely to be at risk for infection and illness because they are less likely than adults to have antibodies to protect them. Such antibodies develop in the body during a person’s first exposure to the enteroviruses that cause HFMD.
-Infection results in immunity to (protection against) the specific virus that caused HFMD. A second case of HFMD may occur following infection with a different member of the enterovirus group.

[http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/enterovirus/hfhf.htm]



Ohh... and mummies and daddies.. if your child is sick, please refrain from bringing them out in public... ;)