- Outbreaks confirmed in Indiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
- HFMD is a viral infection that causes lesions around the hands, feet and mouth
- Although usually not serious, pathogens can enter the body via scratched skin
- Adults’ immune systems are typically strong enough to prevent infection
- New York Mets ace pitcher Noah Syndergaard revealed he contracted the virus
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is spreading across the US.
Outbreaks have been confirmed in Indiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, according to doctors’ reports.
HFMD, which is different to foot and mouth in animals, is a viral infection that causes lesions to form on a sufferer’s hands, feet and mouth. Although usually not serious, the condition can be dangerous if scratched skin allows other pathogens to enter.
The infection usually affects children under 10, with adults’ immune systems typically being strong enough to prevent the virus infecting them.
However last week, New York Mets ace pitcher Noah Syndergaard revealed he contracted the virus after visiting a children’s baseball camp, while New York Yankees starter JA Happ revealed he had a mild case of the condition yesterday.
‘We’re getting a lot of hand, foot and mouth disease’
Dr Keith Tolar, from Deaconess Pediatric Urgent Care, Evansville, Indiana, told CBS News: ‘This year we’re getting a lot of hand, foot and mouth disease.
‘We’ve been seeing it all summer and a little bit of an uptick in the last week or two.’
HFMD typically spreads through nurseries and schools, similarly to the common cold.