In a large scale outbreak in Vietnam in 2011, more than 100,000 people were sickened by hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) with nearly 200 children dying from the common childhood infection.
As bad as it was, 2012 is showing early signs that the epidemic could be worse this year. According to Tran Thanh Duong, deputy head of the health department Tuesday, believes that a more complex and serious epidemic situation may be developing in Vietnam.
Statistics reported on the website Vietnam.net show, and I quote:
The number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in the first 6 weeks of the year has reached 6,328. The number is 7.3 times higher than in the same period of a year earlier, and 9 cases have been fatal, the Health Ministry’s Preventive Health Department reported.
The outbreak has been recorded in approximately 10 Central Vietnam provinces.
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One province hit hard was Can Tho where 600 kids have been admitted for the virus and three have died.
Although it has yet to be confirmed and reported, this outbreak, like last year is likely to be caused by the more virulent enterovirus-71 (EV-71).
EV-71 has been implicated in HFMD outbreaks in Southeast Asia over the several years. EV 71 is a non-polio enterovirus.
EV 71 is transmitted through direct contact with discharge from the nose and throat, saliva, fluid from blisters or the stools of an infected person. Cases are most infectious during the first week of acute illness but may continue to shed virus in stool for weeks.
HFMD is typically a benign and self-limiting disease. Most common in young children, it presents as fever, oral lesions and rash on the hands, feet and buttocks. The oral lesions consist of rapidly-ulcerating vesicles on the buccal mucosa, tongue, palate and gums. The rash consists of papulovesicular lesions on the palms, fingers and soles which generally persist for seven to 10 days and maculopapular lesions on the buttocks.
However, complications associated with HFMD caused by EV-71 include encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, acute flaccid paralysis, pulmonary edema or hemorrhage and myocarditis. Most deaths in HFMD occur as a result of pulmonary edema or hemorrhage.
The Health Ministry in Vietnam will be sending teams to the towns and localities to assist in controlling and prevention of the outbreak.
According to the report, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said the ministry will report the epidemic situation to the Government and propose that it establish an interdisciplinary steering board to fight the epidemic nationwide.
Source: HFMD associated with Enterovirus 71 Information Sheet
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