Virological investigation of hand, foot, and mouth disease in a tertiary care center in South India.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) remains a common problem in India, yet its etiology is largely unknown as diagnosis is based on clinical characteristics. There are very few laboratory-based molecular studies on HFMD outbreaks.

Aim

The aim of this study was to characterize HFMD-related isolates by molecular techniques.

Settings and design

Between 2005 and 2008, during two documented HFMD outbreaks, 30 suspected HFMD cases presented at the Outpatient Unit of the Department of Dermatology, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. Seventy-eight clinical specimens (swabs from throat, mouth, rectum, anus, buttocks, tongue, forearm, sole, and foot) were received from these patients at the Department of Clinical Virology, CMC, for routine diagnosis of hand, foot

SUBMITTER: Vijayaraghavan PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3459432 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature