Enterovirus infections in kindergartens, Bangkok, Thailand

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and herpangina are common pediatric illnesses affecting children from birth to five years old. The symptoms range from mild to severe illness with encephalitis leading to death. We have investigated transmission patterns of HFMD and herpangina in kindergartens in metropolitan Bangkok areas, Thailand. Active surveillance was performed. The genetic relatedness among symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, potential transmission of the virus between classes, and the in-host variants of virus RNA shedding in the follow-up specimens are investigated for disease prevention and control.

手足口病（Hand, foot, and mouth disease, HFMD）与疱疹性咽峡炎均为常见儿科疾病，主要感染出生至5岁的儿童。此类疾病的临床症状轻重不一，重症病例可并发脑炎甚至导致死亡。本研究针对泰国曼谷都会区幼儿园内手足口病与疱疹性咽峡炎的传播模式开展调查，并实施了主动监测。研究同时分析了有症状与无症状病例的遗传相关性、病毒在班级间的潜在传播路径，以及随访标本中宿主内病毒RNA脱落的变异特征，旨在为疾病预防与控制工作提供科学支撑。