By Ruth Sindico
(philstar.com) Updated July 19, 2012
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday
that hospitals continue to report suspected cases of hand, foot and
mouth disease (HFMD).
The DOH, however, clarified that hospitals have been reporting HFMD
cases because of its instructions and "not because of an outbreak."
Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona had earlier instructed the DOH
National Epidemiology Center to include Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) as a
notifiable disease "to compel health providers, especially health
physicians, to report individual cases or even outbreaks."
What causes HFMD?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HFMD is caused by
viruses from the group called enteroviruses. They may be polioviruses,
coxsackieviruses, echoviruses and other enteroviruses.
"HFMD is most commonly caused by coxsackievirus A16 which usually
results in a mild self-limiting disease with few complications.
However, HFMD is also caused by Enteroviruses, including EV-71which has
been associated with serious complications, and may be fatal," the WHO
said.
The DOH said that HFMD is moderately contagious and spreads through
fecal-oral route and from direct contact with secretions from infected
person. It is different from the foot and mouth disease in animals.
HFMD commonly affects young children. Its symptoms include mild
illness characterized by a few days of fever and appearance of skin
rashes or lesions around mouth, hands and feet.
"Severe Enterovirus-71 infections can cause severe neurological
disease most recently described in Cambodia, where dozens of children
died suddenly despite all efforts provided by hospitals," the DOH said.
How to prevent the spread of EV-71
The DOH has encouraged parents and day-care personnel to clean and
disinfect toys and teaching tools to prevent the spread of EV-71 among
children.
It had likewise advised the public to properly dispose of baby
diapers or human waste and practice strict personal hygiene and regular
hand-washing.
The DOH said that HFMD outbreaks in several Asian countries have
made it an "emerging threat following the almost complete eradication
of polio."
Unlike polio, however, there are still no available vaccines against EV-71 infections.
The DOH added that throat specimens from suspected cases are sent to
the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine to confirm the presence or
absence of the virus.
The National Epidemiology Center was tasked to collect reports from
hospitals then report them as part of the Disease Surveillance System.
"Mild cases are seldom hospitalized except for dehydration that
occurs when sick child are unable to feed because of mouth sores.
Parents should watch out for warning signs such as muscle twitching,
paralysis, impaired consciousness as these will require taking care of
affected children in hospital setting," the DOH said.
The DOH had reported that two children have been tested positive for
enterovirus, but clarified that they were not afflicted with the deadly
EV-71 strain.
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