Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It SpreadsWho’s at RiskSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentsWhen to See a Doctor
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Spreads
Who’s at Risk
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatments
When to See a Doctor
M_a_y_a / Getty Images
Herpangina usually causes asore throatand painful sores (lesions or blisters) inside the back of the mouth and throat. It is common to have multiple lesions, especially in severe cases.
How It’s Spread
The virus is shed in the stool for six weeks post-infection, and even sometimes for up to several months. Contact with oral and respiratory secretions also can spread the virus.
Proper handwashingprecautions and staying at home can help decrease the risk of spreading the disease if you have symptoms of this illness.
Who Is at Risk
Children between the ages of 3 to 10 years old are most commonly affected, with boys and girls being equally affected. While young children are most commonly affected, anyone can be infected regardless of age. Infections are more common in the fall and summer months, as well as in tropical climates.
Most of the time if you have herpangina, you can anticipate a mild illness. However, occasionally symptoms may be more severe, leading to complications of the central nervous system, heart and lung failure, or even death. Dehydration is a common complication—but remember, it is easily treated as long as it is detected soon enough. When pregnant women become infected with herpangina they are more likely to have a preterm delivery of their infant, an infant with low birth weight or who is small for gestational age.
Once infected, you will likely not have any symptoms for 3 to 5 days while the virus is growing, or incubating. You may be contagious during this time frame and not know that you have herpangina.
If you have herpangina you may experience one or more of the following symptoms with varying severity.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoDermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
In rare cases an enterovirus infection can affect the central nervous system, causing the following symptoms:
Herpangina is a viral infection and therefore cannot be cured using antibiotics. Treatment focuses on managing your symptoms until your body fights the infection off.
The good news is that symptoms usually resolve within a week. The bad news is that the mouth and throat sores typical of herpangina are known to be quite painful.Here are some things you can do to ease your symptoms, especially for children.
Your healthcare provider will not prescribe antiviral medications for herpangina for several reasons. In general, antivirals are expensive and in the case of herpangina, ineffective. Use of antivirals also carries side effects and may increase the risk of antiviral-resistant viruses.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Remember, the best option is to take precautions to prevent herpangina, and if you are infected follow the tips above to ease symptoms while working with your healthcare provider.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yao X, Bian LL, Lu WW, et al.Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of herpangina and hand foot mouth diseases in Jiangsu, China, 2013-2014.Hum Vaccin Immunother.2017;13(4):823-830. doi:10.1080/21645515.2016.1236879Repass GL, Palmer WC, Stancampiano FF.Hand, foot, and mouth disease: identifying and managing an acute viral syndrome.Cleve Clin J Med. 2014;81(9):537-543. doi:10.3949/ccjm.81a.13132Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.Pillai AS, Medina D.Rash in an Eight-Year-Old Boy.Am Fam Physician.2012;86(12):1141-1142.EnteroVirus Foundation.Enterovirus Infection: The Symptoms & Signs.Scully C, Shotts R.Mouth ulcers and other causes of orofacial soreness and pain.West J Med. 2001;174(6):421-424.Zaoutis T, Klein JD.Enterovirus Infections.Pediatrics in Review. 1998;19(6):183-191.Additional ReadingAbzug, MJ. (2016). Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20thed. Elsevier. 1561-1568e1.Fort, GG. (2017). Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2017: Herpangina. Elsevier. 583.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yao X, Bian LL, Lu WW, et al.Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of herpangina and hand foot mouth diseases in Jiangsu, China, 2013-2014.Hum Vaccin Immunother.2017;13(4):823-830. doi:10.1080/21645515.2016.1236879Repass GL, Palmer WC, Stancampiano FF.Hand, foot, and mouth disease: identifying and managing an acute viral syndrome.Cleve Clin J Med. 2014;81(9):537-543. doi:10.3949/ccjm.81a.13132Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.Pillai AS, Medina D.Rash in an Eight-Year-Old Boy.Am Fam Physician.2012;86(12):1141-1142.EnteroVirus Foundation.Enterovirus Infection: The Symptoms & Signs.Scully C, Shotts R.Mouth ulcers and other causes of orofacial soreness and pain.West J Med. 2001;174(6):421-424.Zaoutis T, Klein JD.Enterovirus Infections.Pediatrics in Review. 1998;19(6):183-191.Additional ReadingAbzug, MJ. (2016). Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20thed. Elsevier. 1561-1568e1.Fort, GG. (2017). Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2017: Herpangina. Elsevier. 583.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Yao X, Bian LL, Lu WW, et al.Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of herpangina and hand foot mouth diseases in Jiangsu, China, 2013-2014.Hum Vaccin Immunother.2017;13(4):823-830. doi:10.1080/21645515.2016.1236879Repass GL, Palmer WC, Stancampiano FF.Hand, foot, and mouth disease: identifying and managing an acute viral syndrome.Cleve Clin J Med. 2014;81(9):537-543. doi:10.3949/ccjm.81a.13132Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.Pillai AS, Medina D.Rash in an Eight-Year-Old Boy.Am Fam Physician.2012;86(12):1141-1142.EnteroVirus Foundation.Enterovirus Infection: The Symptoms & Signs.Scully C, Shotts R.Mouth ulcers and other causes of orofacial soreness and pain.West J Med. 2001;174(6):421-424.Zaoutis T, Klein JD.Enterovirus Infections.Pediatrics in Review. 1998;19(6):183-191.
Yao X, Bian LL, Lu WW, et al.Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of herpangina and hand foot mouth diseases in Jiangsu, China, 2013-2014.Hum Vaccin Immunother.2017;13(4):823-830. doi:10.1080/21645515.2016.1236879
Repass GL, Palmer WC, Stancampiano FF.Hand, foot, and mouth disease: identifying and managing an acute viral syndrome.Cleve Clin J Med. 2014;81(9):537-543. doi:10.3949/ccjm.81a.13132
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HFMD: causes and how it spreads.
Pillai AS, Medina D.Rash in an Eight-Year-Old Boy.Am Fam Physician.2012;86(12):1141-1142.
EnteroVirus Foundation.Enterovirus Infection: The Symptoms & Signs.
Scully C, Shotts R.Mouth ulcers and other causes of orofacial soreness and pain.West J Med. 2001;174(6):421-424.
Zaoutis T, Klein JD.Enterovirus Infections.Pediatrics in Review. 1998;19(6):183-191.
Abzug, MJ. (2016). Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20thed. Elsevier. 1561-1568e1.Fort, GG. (2017). Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2017: Herpangina. Elsevier. 583.
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