Question
Can hand, foot, and mouth disease recur after having it?
Answer
People who have previously contracted hand, foot, and mouth disease may be susceptible to reinfection if they come into contact with the hand, foot, and mouth virus again. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a contagious illness caused by a virus, primarily transmitted through droplets, contact, and fecal-oral routes. After infection, the body produces a certain level of immunity, but this immunity may not be lifelong effective, thus there is a possibility of reinfection. If reinfection occurs, symptoms may be milder than the first time, but they could also present with similar symptoms to the initial infection, including fever, oral ulcers, and skin rashes on hands and feet.