Fourteen types of co-circulating recombinant enterovirus were associated with hand, foot, and mouth disease in children from Wenzhou, China.

BACKGROUND

Although hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a major public concern in China, the prevalence and clinical symptoms associated with the different agents of HFMD in this country remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the clinical and molecular characteristics of enteroviruses in patients with HFMD from Wenzhou, China.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients with laboratory-confirmed HFMD admitted to the Yuying Children's Hospital in Wenzhou, China during 2013 were included in this study. Viral RNA sequences were amplified using RT-PCR, determined by sequencing, and compared by phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 955 clinically diagnosed HFMD cases were determined using PCR, with whole viral genomes obtained for each enterovirus type. 14 types of enterovirus belonging to two viral species were identified. Notably, Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) was the most common species detected (77.8%), followed by EV-A71 (8.2%) and CV-A10 (8.1%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed multiple independent introductions of these viruses into Wenzhou. In addition, the enterovirus observed in Wenzhou had a recombinant history, with two or three recombination breakpoints. Although the illness associated with CV-A6 was milder than that of EV-A71, CV-A6 infection caused more widespread rash, larger blisters, and subsequent skin peeling and/or nail shedding.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed the co-circulation of 14 types of enteroviruses in a single location - Wenzhou, China - with CV-A6 virus the predominant agent of HFMD. This work highlights the need to perform larger-scale surveillance to fully understand the epidemiology of enteroviruses in China and the wider Asia-Pacific region.