Question
A 5-year-old child has a slight rash on the hands, feet, and knees, with more on the thighs, but no fever. The rash disappeared after a week of medication. How long can you play with the child without the risk of infecting other kids?
Answer
Patients with hand, foot, and mouth disease, asymptomatic carriers, and carriers with no symptoms are the main sources of transmission for the disease. During the epidemic period, patients are the primary source of transmission. In the acute stage, patients excrete the virus in their feces for 3 to 5 weeks and in their throat for 1 to 2 weeks. Healthy carriers and mild Dissemination cases are the main sources of transmission during intermittent and epidemic periods. Children are still carriers and can spread the virus for three weeks after recovery and discharge, so they should be isolated at home for three weeks.