EV71 B5 gene causes severe hand, foot and mouth disease
This is the result of gene sequencing performed by the research team of Children's Hospital 1 and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, OUCRU (Oxford University Clinical Research Unit).
All 6 samples of children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease being treated at Children's Hospital 1 had positive PCR results for EV71 and all had genotype B5. Genotype B5 of EV71 was first found in Taiwan (China) in 2007 and in Ho Chi Minh City in 2015 and 2018.
According to disease surveillance data from the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC), the number of cases of children with hand, foot and mouth disease in Ho Chi Minh City has shown signs of increasing rapidly in recent weeks.
Specifically, the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases began to increase from week 19 to week 22. Accordingly, the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases in week 22 was more than twice the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases in week 19.
Erythematous rash on the feet of children with hand, foot and mouth disease
Risk of overlapping epidemics
In addition, according to the annual progression of dengue fever in Ho Chi Minh City, the peak season of the disease will begin around the 25th week (about 2 to 3 weeks from now) and is expected to last until the end of October every year.
In the past 2 weeks, although there have only been a few rains, through HCDC's monitoring of epidemic prevention activities in wards and communes, there have been 20 risk points (with mosquito larvae) out of a total of 39 monitored points, accounting for over 50%. This rate will certainly be higher when the city enters the rainy season, if each locality and each household does not resolutely kill mosquitoes and mosquito larvae to control the epidemic.
Based on the above facts, HCDC believes that in the coming months, Ho Chi Minh City will face a very high risk of overlapping epidemics if the entire city does not proactively implement measures to simultaneously control both diseases right now.
The health sector recommends that each person and each household should proactively take preventive measures for themselves and their families, such as washing hands with soap, searching for and removing containers that can potentially generate mosquito larvae. In addition, families with children under 5 years old should regularly clean and disinfect surfaces and children's toys. When someone in the family shows symptoms of suspected infectious diseases, they should be taken to a medical facility for diagnosis and appropriate care and treatment instructions.
The Department of Health has also directed HCDC to retrain health centers and health stations on epidemic prevention and control; and at the same time, organize inspection and supervision teams to support districts, wards and communes in professional activities. In addition to strengthening medical professional activities, it is necessary to have the participation of authorities at all levels, departments, organizations, agencies and each family.
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