BENGALURU: While hospitals in the city are witnessing a rise in number of hand-foot-and-mouth disease cases, the state surveillance unit denied receiving reports of any such cases. The communicable disease presents as a rash and doctors advise parents not to send their wards to school lest it spreads.
Dr Bhaskar Shenoy, Head of Paediatrics, Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, said, “I have been seeing eight to ten cases of hand-foot-and-mouth disease every day for the past one month as before that I did not see these cases. It looks like an epidemic owing to seasonal change. It is a viral infection, the Coxsackie A virus causes it. It transmits easily from one child to another and is airborne. Children can easily contract it at school or home.”
It causes fever, rash, blisters, fluid-filled bumps on palms, knees, elbows, soles, mouth, and/or genital region. “Parents should stop sending their children to school. The child is irritable and distracted if he has contracted the virus. Children should wash their hands. It generally doesn’t cause any harm but if the rash is in the mouth and throat, there will be difficulty in swallowing,” Shenoy said.
It is a self-limiting disease. The rash generally stays for a few days and disappears. “A small percentage can have neurological complications. It can spread to the brain, but in less than one per cent. If there is more blood pressure, persistent vomiting, then encephalitis — which is infection of the brain — is possible. Lotion and symptomatic treatment is the only succour for the child,” the doctor said.
Government-run Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Siddapura, RMO Dr Mahantesh said, “We haven’t seen any such cases may be because we are children speciality hospital and offer tertiary care.”
Dr Sarla Sabapathy, HOD, Paediatrics, Vani Vilas Hospital, Kalasipalya, said, “We haven’t seen any cases so far. We saw a few cases last year. It is a self-limiting viral infection. No precautions can be taken except increasing children’s immunity by nutrition and hand hygiene. It spreads through direct contact and is contagious.”
Dr Rajeev Agarwal, HOD, Paediatrics, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Electronic City, said, “I don’t think there is a rise, it is just that the awareness is more because at this time of the year we anyway get cases. Every child gets it at least once in a lifetime. Treatment needs to be given if there are ulcers in the mouth. Cream application on the skin and isolation helps, it does not spread to the adult.”
Dr T S Prabhakar, head of the state’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme denied knowing about any such cases. Dr Latha, deputy director, state surveillance unit, said there were no such cases reported.