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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Coxsackie virus facts
• What is Coxsackie virus?
• What are the types of Coxsackie viruses, and what can they cause?
• What are Coxsackie virus infection symptoms and signs?
• How do people get infected with Coxsackie virus?
• What are the risk factors for Coxsackie virus infection?
• How do Coxsackie infections get diagnosed?
• Is there any treatment for Coxsackie virus infection?
• Can Coxsackie virus infections be prevented?
• What is the prognosis of a Coxsackie virus infection?
• Patient Comments: Coxsackie Virus - Experience
• Patient Comments: Coxsackie Virus - Symptoms
• Coxsackie Virus Index

The most frequent signs and symptoms of Coxsackie viral infections start with fever, sore throat, malaise (feeling tired), and a poor appetite. This incubation period lasts about one to two days. Sore areas in the mouth develop in about a day or two after the initial fever and develop into small blisters that often ulcerate. Many infected people (usually children 10 years of age and younger) go on to develop a rash that itches on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Other areas such as the buttocks and genitals may be involved. These symptoms usually last about seven to 10 days and the person recovers completely. The individuals are most contagious for about a week after symptoms begin, but because the virus can be shed by the infected individual sometimes for weeks after the symptoms have gone away, the person may be mildly contagious for several weeks. The last two references show pictures of the blisters.

Picture of characteristic mouth sores of hand foot and mouth disease

Picture of characteristic rash and blisters of hand foot and mouth disease

Infrequently, the infection may result in temporary fingernail or toenail loss (termed onychomadesis). Rarely, the disease may progress to cause viral meningitis (headache, stiff neck), myocarditis (heart muscle infection), pericarditis (inflammation/fluid collection of the tissue surrounding the heart), or encephalitis (brain swelling).