It was HFMD...

So what I had while in Taiwan was Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). What is it, you ask? According to the Center for Disease Control, HFMD "is a common illness of infants and children. [and 27 year olds and their 23 year old sisters] It is characterized by fever, sores in the mouth, and a rash with blisters. [I did have some funky zits on my hands] HFMD begins with a mild fever [Evan had the fever, not me though], poor appetite [hmm, I wanted to eat, but couldn't], malaise ("feeling sick") [just from the pain], and frequently a sore throat [nope, Mr. Huang had that]. [So maybe we had a group HFMD incident] One or 2 days after the fever begins, painful sores develop in the mouth. [Yep] They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. [Thought they were cold sores] They are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks. [the ones on the tongue suck] The skin rash develops over 1 to 2 days with flat or raised red spots, some with blisters. The rash does not itch, and it is usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It may also appear on the buttocks. [Um, none on mine, but I didn't really check myself out...Bev?] A person with HFMD may have only the rash or the mouth ulcers. [That's me]" So I guess HFMD is pretty common in Taiwan, it's similar to chickenpox: once you've had it, you're good for life. So Rose and I are good. We're thinking of ganging up on D. Heheheh.

I'm all better now. Actually, all I needed was Anbesol. And couldn't find it anywhere in Taiwan. The day I got home, I put it on, and could instantly eat afterwards with relative comfort (it couldn't get any worse!). I should have brought that stuff with me to Taiwan...oh well. I guess it did prevent me from eating the whole country. Plus, Turkey Day's coming up.

More about HFMD

Serious? No.

Contagious? Yes. Ask Rose :) [Sorry!] "Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons. A person is most contagious during the first week of the illness. HFMD is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals." Rose, I won't fling poo at you ever again. Can't guarantee that Evan won't though.

Who gets sick? "HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years old, but may also occur in adults too. Everyone is at risk of infection, but not everyone who is infected becomes ill. Infants, children, and adolescents are more likely to be susceptible to infection and illness from these viruses, because they are less likely than adults to have antibodies and be immune from previous exposures to them. Infection results in immunity to the specific virus, but a second episode may occur following infection with a different member of the enterovirus group."

Where is it prevalent? "Individual cases and outbreaks of HFMD occur worldwide, more frequently in summer and early autumn. In the recent past, major outbreaks of HFMD attributable to enterovirus 71 have been reported in some South East Asian countries (Malaysia, 1997; Taiwan, 1998)." I think one person died in Taiwan from it.

How do you know you have it? "HFMD is one of many infections that result in mouth sores. Another common cause is oral herpes virus infection, which produces an inflammation of the mouth and gums (sometimes called stomatitis). Usually, the physician can distinguish between HFMD and other causes of mouth sores based on the age of the patient, the pattern of symptoms reported by the patient or parent, and the appearance of the rash and sores on examination. A throat swab or stool specimen may be sent to a laboratory to determine which enterovirus caused the illness. Since the testing often takes 2 to 4 weeks to obtain a final answer, the physician usually does not order these tests."

Can HFMD be prevented? "Specific prevention for HFMD or other non-polio enterovirus infections is not available, but the risk of infection can be lowered by good hygienic practices. Preventive measures include frequent handwashing, especially after diaper changes, cleaning of contaminated surfaces and soiled items first with soap and water, and then disinfecting them by diluted solution of chlorine-containing bleach."

So maybe I should listen to Bev and actually clean my hands after changing diapers. Oh well.