From the Guidelines
Hand, foot, and mouth disease typically remains contagious for about 7-10 days after the rash appears, but the provided evidence does not directly address this question, so this answer is based on general medical knowledge. However, people are most contagious during the first week of illness, particularly during the fever stage before the rash develops. The virus can be present in stool for several weeks after symptoms resolve, so proper hand hygiene remains important even after visible symptoms disappear.
Key Points to Consider
- The disease spreads through contact with an infected person's saliva, respiratory secretions, fluid from blisters, and feces.
- Children should stay home from school or daycare until fever is gone and mouth sores have healed enough that they're not drooling excessively.
- This recommendation helps prevent transmission since the virus primarily spreads when people are symptomatic.
- The causative agents are enteroviruses (most commonly Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71) which can survive on surfaces, so regular cleaning of potentially contaminated items and surfaces is also important for preventing spread.
Relevant Information from Studies
The provided studies do not directly address the contagious period of hand, foot, and mouth disease, but they discuss the contagiousness of other diseases, such as varicella 1 and influenza 1.
Decision Making
Based on general medical knowledge, it is recommended that children with hand, foot, and mouth disease should stay home from school or daycare until they are no longer contagious, which is typically around 7-10 days after the rash appears. Proper hand hygiene and regular cleaning of potentially contaminated items and surfaces are also crucial in preventing the spread of the disease.
From the Research
Contagious Period of Hand Foot Mouth Disease
- The contagious period of hand foot mouth disease is not explicitly stated in the provided studies as being directly related to the appearance of the rash.
- However, according to 2, lesions usually resolve in seven to 10 days, and the disease is transmitted by fecal-oral, oral-oral, and respiratory droplet contact.
- It can be inferred that the contagious period may last as long as the disease is active, which is typically around 7-10 days 2, 3, 4.
- The best methods to prevent the spread of hand-foot-and-mouth disease are handwashing and disinfecting potentially contaminated surfaces and fomites 2.
- Vaccination of susceptible individuals in high-risk areas and good personal hygiene are also important preventative measures to combat the disease 3, 5.