Enterovirus infection status among family members of children with hand foot and mouth disease and healthy children in Baoshan district of Shanghai

Objective To understand enterovirus infection status among family members of children with hand foot and mouth disease(HFMD) and healthy children in Baoshan, Shanghai, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of HFMD. Methods Household survey was conducted among the family members of children with confirmed HFMD and healthy children from vaccination clinlcs selected during June-August 2014, and stool samples were collected from them. Results The enterovirus positive rate in 79 close contacts of HFMD cases from 30 families was 30.38%(24/79), but no enterovirus positive persons were detected in 25 family members of healthy children from 11 families. Among close contacts, 88.89% were infected with the same types enterovirus detected in HFMD cases. The infection rate in close contacts spending 6 h. in taking care of sick children per day was higher than those spending 6 h. in taking care of sick children per day, the difference was statistically significant(2=6.07, P 0.05). Conclusion The enterovirus infection rate in the family close contacts of children with HFMD was higher than that in the family members of healthy children. The healthy education and management should be strengthened among HFMD family close contacts.