Polio: Types, Causes, & Symptoms
What Is Herpangina?
Herpangina is a viral infection that usually affects children. It's caused by the coxsackie virus and sometimes by other types of viruses. The symptoms are fever, sore throat, and small painful blisters or ulcers in the back of the mouth, throat, and tonsils.
Herpangina spreads easily through close contact with others who have the infection. It can be very uncomfortable for your child, but it normally gets better within a week without treatment.
Herpangina causes small, painful blisters in your throat and mouth. (Photo credit: Medical Images BH archive)
Herpangina is a highly contagious viral infection that usually affects children under the age of 10. Children usually are exposed to the virus at school or day care, and it's most common in the summer and fall. Newborn babies who are immunocompromised can get herpangina and are at risk for a more serious infection.
Herpangina in babies
You can pass the virus that causes herpangina to your baby if you have it while you're pregnant. They may show symptoms within 2 weeks after birth. But your baby can develop herpangina after they're born if they're around someone infected with the virus.
Because your baby can't tell you what's bothering them, it's important to know what signs to watch for.
To spot herpangina, check for blistery bumps or open sores (ulcers). They're typically on the sides or roof of the mouth, on the tonsils, or inside the throat. These sores and blisters usually look white or gray and have a red border.
Other signs and symptoms of herpangina in infants are:
The above symptoms may be signs that your baby has a headache, neck pain, or full-body aches or discomfort. They may not nurse or swallow liquids if their throat hurts.
To treat herpangina in babies, ask your doctor if you can give your infant:
Babies don't have fully formed immune systems, and they're more likely to get a serious infection from herpangina. While most babies have mild symptoms and get better on their own, some need special tests or treatment in a hospital to get better. Check with your doctor if you're not sure how sick your baby is.
Get medical help right away if your infant is younger than 6 months and has a fever higher than 100.4 F.
Herpangina in adults
It's not as common, but sometimes teens and adults get herpangina. This can happen if you don't build immunity as a kid to the virus that causes it. Your odds of getting it when you grow up may be higher if you have a job where you work with or around young children, such as at a day care or school, or if you live in close contact with kids.
The infection is usually mild and goes away on its own in adults (just like with young children). But herpangina can cause more serious problems or even be life-threatening if you are:
Immunocompromised. You may not be able to fight germs as well if you take certain medications or have a health condition that affects your ability to make antibodies, which are a part of the immune system and help you clear out infections.
Herpangina is caused by a virus. The most common viruses that cause it are:
Herpangina is spread through respiratory droplets, saliva, directly touching fluid from a sore, or through fecal matter (pee and poop). You can get the virus if someone with herpangina coughs, sneezes, or shouts near you.
Symptoms of herpangina can vary depending on which virus causes the infection. Some children with herpangina don't have any symptoms.
Herpangina usually shows up 3-5 days after you've been exposed to the virus. Symptoms include:
Depending on the type of virus, some children also have symptoms such as throwing up, muscle weakness, and trouble breathing. Older children might also have back pain. Rarely, the virus can cause seizures or neurological problems.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease and herpangina are related. Both infections are caused by the coxsackie virus, but herpangina only causes sores in the mouth. Hand, foot, and mouth disease can cause mouth sores as well as sores on the soles of the feet and on the palms. Babies will also have sores around the diaper area.
Herpangina vs. Strep throat
Both herpangina and strep throat are contagious infections that commonly affect children. But there are some key differences between the two. A big one is that herpangina is a viral infection, while strep throat is a bacterial infection. Herpangina is caused by coxsackie virus or enterovirus, and strep throat is caused by group A streptococcus bacteria.
Other differences between herpangina and strep throat are:
Similarities between herpangina and strep throat are that they both cause flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, loss of appetite, and sore throat.
Your doctor will take your child's personal history and do a physical examination. Herpangina sores look different from other infections or sores, so they can be easily identified. If it's a mild infection, you might not need any tests or scans.
There isn't any type of herpangina medicine. Herpangina is treated by managing symptoms. The illness will be different depending on your child's age and general health and the severity of the infection. As herpangina is a viral infection, antibiotics will not help.
Your child should be isolated as much as possible. Have them rest in a well-ventilated room to prevent the virus from sticking to surfaces, objects, and other members of the family.Your child will need to stay home from school or day care while they are sick. Children can go back to school once their fever is gone and if they don't have a lot of open sores.
It's important for your child to drink lots of water and other fluids. The mouth sores can be painful, and your child might not want to eat or drink. This can quickly lead to dehydration. If your child has a high fever, this can worsen dehydration. You can give your child an electrolyte drink to help.
Your child may not have an appetite, but it's important to encourage them to eat. Focus on a light, healthy diet with cool, soft, bland foods. Avoid anything acidic, hot, or spicy. Some ideas include:
Popsicles and ice chips can also soothe the mouth and throat and help them get fluids.
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve pain and headaches.
You can find mouth sprays, mouthwash, or gels that can help relieve pain from the sores. Throat lozenges can also help. Make sure your child is old enough (usually age 6 or older) to take a lozenge without choking.
Herpangina rarely causes complications. Most cases are mild, and your child will usually get better within 10 days.
Because it hurts to eat and drink, some children may become dehydrated. This can be dangerous if not treated quickly. Make sure your child drinks small sips of liquid frequently, and watch for these signs of dehydration:
Rarely, some children who have the enterovirus 71 strain can also get other health problems. These include:
If you or your child are very unwell with herpangina, see your doctor right away.
Herpangina is a common infection that mostly affects children younger than 10, but you can get it at any age. Most cases are mild and go away on their own within a week or so. Supportive care can help ease symptoms such as fever, sore throat, or trouble eating or drinking.
Rarely, you can get very sick and need treatment at a hospital. Talk to your doctor about the risk for herpangina complications if you're pregnant, you or your child have a compromised immune system, or you have a newborn baby.
How long does herpangina last?
The infection typically lasts around 7-10 days. See your doctor if your child doesn't get better after that.
How can I prevent the spread of herpangina?
The best way is to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Do this often, but especially after you go to the bathroom or change a diaper, and before you cook or handle food. Remember to clean or disinfect shared toys at home or in childcare centers. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Stay home if you or your child feel sick.
Is there a vaccine for herpangina?
There isn't currently a vaccine for herpangina. Some vaccines developed in China have shown promise for protecting against the enterovirus 71, but they aren't available to the public yet.
What Is Hand, Foot, And Mouth Disease? West Virginia University Postpones Fan Day
West Virginia University had to postpone its Fan Appreciation Day when 5 unnamed West Virginia... [+] Mountaineer football players came down with hand, foot- and mouth disease. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
There's the foot in mouth problem, which means accidentally saying something stupid or offensive. This can affect children and adults who behave like children. There is foot-and-mouth disease (also called hoof-and-mouth disease), which only affects those with hooves, like cattle, sheep, and swine. Then there's hand, foot, and mouth disease, which is something completely different. This is much more common in young children, especially those under 5 years old, but can affect adults.
Cattle, sheep, and swine can't get hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). It is unclear whether they can have foot in mouth problem because anything they say would come out as "mooo," "baaaa," or "oink." Humans can get the first and the third conditions.
The third condition seems to be on the rise this year. There have been reports of HFMD outbreaks in Indiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. HFMD has sidelined 2 major league baseball players: the New York Mets' Noah Syndergaard and the New York Yankees' J.A. Happ. Now 5 unnamed West Virginia University football players getting the disease led to the University postponing Fan Appreciation Day. Yes, before the University could give fans a hand, they had to make sure that they didn't give more people hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ who is now with the New York Yankees, battled hand, foot and... [+] mouth disease. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS via Getty Images)
That's because HFMD is quite contagious, caused by various enteroviruses. Coxsackievirus (CV) A16 and enterovirus (EV) 71 are the most common culprits. CV A6 is an emerging cause. Transmission of the virus occurs via the saliva, sputum, nasal mucus, blister fluid, and poop of infected people. Yet, another reason to wash your hands frequently and not play with poop. You also may catch the virus by swallowing pool water contaminated with infectious poop. So don't drink from swimming pools after someone has pooped in it. Besides washing your hands often and thoroughly, especially after changing diapers, you should also not kiss, hug, or share anything that went into the mouths, on the hands, on the feet, or in the butts of people who have or may have HFMD.
The disease tends to develop 4 to 6 days after infection and most commonly occurs in kids younger than 5 years old who haven't yet developed immunity against these viruses. The disease usually isn't severe, causing first fatigue and possibly fever, followed by potentially painful vesicular (fluid-filled and blister-like) lesions, on the, you guessed it, hands and feet and in the mouth. These last for about 7 to 10 days.
Here are hand, foot, and mouth disease lesions. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Occasionally, the disease is more severe. Those with the disease can lose their fingernails or toenails, which can be quite disconcerting but is usually temporary as the nails can grow back. In rare cases, infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the wrapping around the brain (meningitis) can occur and result in paralysis or even be life-threatening.
The list of treatments is like the list of treatments for people who constantly put their foot in their mouths. There is no available pill, elixir, or vaccine that will significantly alter the course of the disease. You should keep well hydrated. You may try to reduce the fever and pain with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You can eat soft and cold stuff like ice cream and avoid acidic (like orange juice), salty, spicy, or rough stuff that may further irritate the mouth. Warm water mouth rinses may help.
If you suspect that you or your child has HFMD call your doctor. Even though HFMD is not officially a reportable disease, it helps to know when and where outbreaks are occurring so that families and schools can take appropriate precautions such as extra disinfecting of surfaces and doorknobs. If you have foot in mouth problem, you may want to stop talking. If you have foot and mouth disease caused by the picornavirus and have hooves then you have a different set of problems.
Hand, Foot, And Mouth Disease
In an effort to support a healthy college experience, Student Health Services provides quality outpatient care, with services that include general medicine, injury care, and immunizations, as well as gynecology, laboratory, and psychiatry services.
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