Abstract: Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Xuanwei, Yunan province, during 2009-2012. Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on the incidence data of hand foot and mouth disease in Xuanwei during this period. Results A total of 1503 HFMD cases were reported, the annual incidence was 25.45/lakh. HFMD became the 1st leading infectious disease in 2011 and 2012, while it was the 9th leading infectious disease in 2009. The incidence increased with year from 2009 to 2011. In 2011, the incidence was 42.26/lakh, which was significantly higher than that in 2010 (17.23/lakh). More townships and communities were affected over time, and 4 communities in urban area had high case numbers. More cases occurred in males than in females (χ２=76.47, PConclusion HFMD has become an important public health concern in Xuanwei.