Can a blood test detect hand, foot and mouth disease?

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Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection, common in young children. The disease can heal on its own and is not too dangerous, but there is also a risk of complications. To diagnose hand, foot and mouth disease, the doctor will ask about the disease and do a physical exam, combined with some tests if necessary.

1. Steps to diagnose hand, foot and mouth disease

When detecting that a child has symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease, parents need to take their child to a reputable medical facility for timely examination, diagnosis and treatment. Depending on the severity of the disease, the child will be diagnosed with the following steps:
Step 1: Medical examination
After declaring some administrative information as usual (name, age, address) , ... of the child), parents need to clearly describe the symptoms and course of the disease from the day there are signs of suspicion of the disease. Diagnosis of clinical cases will be based on external manifestations, as well as epidemiological factors, specifically:
Epidemiological factors: Based on the age of the child, the season of the year, the endemic area, the number of diseases children in recent times, the risk of exposure to a source of hand-foot-and-mouth disease before. Clinical: Typical sores in the mouth, blisters on palms and feet, knees, buttocks, with or without low fever. In addition, parents should provide the doctor with information about the child's medical history or medical conditions (if any).
Step 2: Test for evidence of causative agent
Usually, a clinical examination is enough to diagnose whether a child has hand, foot and mouth disease. But in some cases, the doctor may also order a few steps in the laboratory to find evidence of the exact causative agent. Basic tests include:
Blood count Real-time PCR Rapid blood sugar Electrolytes

Blood gas troponin I chest X-ray Echocardiogram Cerebrospinal fluid Brain magnetic resonance imaging (only performed when qualified and needs to be differentiated from neuropathy). Step 3: Differential diagnosis
Need to distinguish hand, foot and mouth disease from some diseases with similar symptoms such as:
Mouth ulcers (aphthous): Deep, exudative and often recurrent sores Skin lesions: Typhus, dengue fever, allergies, pyoderma, chickenpox,... Central nervous system infections: Bacterial or viral encephalitis / meningococcal encephalitis Meningococcal disease, septic shock, pneumonia... Infected children will be treated and cared for according to the doctor's protocol.

2. Can a blood test detect hand, foot and mouth disease?

Answering the question "Does a blood test know hand, foot and mouth?", the doctors said: To detect and quantify IgM antibodies against Enterovirus type 71 (one of the viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease). ), it is necessary to use serum and plasma specimens from children.
According to studies in China and Taiwan, in general the mean blood sugar level and white blood cell count increase with the severity of the disease. In particular, the number of white blood cells of the cases of hand, foot and mouth infection caused by EV71 was less than that of those infected with CA16.
In addition, it is also possible to differentiate hand, foot and mouth disease from grade 2b or higher due to Enterovirus 71 infection by Real-time PCR technique. This test will be performed on oropharyngeal swabs, nasal secretions, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, or vesicles.
It is also possible to perform culture isolation of pathogenic viruses, but difficult and expensive. Therefore, this technique is applicable only in research and not in routine laboratory diagnostics.

In general, although a blood test can detect HFMD, doctors often diagnose the disease based on the patient's age, symptoms, and skin lesions. Laboratory steps, including blood tests, are often unnecessary and rarely performed.
Currently, hand, foot and mouth disease is occurring in many places, so when seeing children showing signs of hand, foot and mouth disease, parents need to take their children to health centers as soon as possible for examination and treatment. . Especially during the epidemic season, to avoid overcrowding and overcrowding at the hospital, making the baby tired or cross-infecting some other diseases, parents should also choose reputable and specialized medical facilities. Karma.
Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining respiratory diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, respiratory infection, pneumonia In children, hand, foot and mouth....With modern equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread. Along with that is the dedication from the doctors with professional experience with pediatric patients, making the examination no longer a concern of the parents.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.