Outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease by enterovirus 71. High incidence of complication disorders of central nervous system.

TLDR

In Japan, two outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease linked to central nervous system disorders occurred in 1973 and 1978. Enterovirus 71 was isolated in both outbreaks, causing CNS disorders in 24 % of patients in 1973 and 8 % in 1978, mainly localized encephalitis with cerebellar signs, aseptic meningitis, and polio‑like paresis, and the virus displayed strong dermatotropic and neurotropic tendencies but no antigenic difference from the prototype strain.

Abstract

In Japan we have had two outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease associated with disorders of the central nervous system, one in 1973 and the other in 1978. The isolated virus in both outbreaks was enterovirus 71. Central nervous system disorders were present in 24% of patients in 1973 and in 8% of patients in 1978. These disorders were localised encephalitis with cerebellar signs as the main feature, aseptic meningitis, and polio-like paresis. The enterovirus 71 isolated in Japan had strong dermatotropic as well as neurotropic tendencies. However in cross-neutralisation tests, no difference in antigenicity from the prototype, BrCr strain, was recognised.