Can Adults Get Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease? And What to Do About It!

You may have seen on the news that cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) are on the rise in various regions of the country. As an adult, you might also be wondering if you can contract this highly contagious viral disease. The answer is yes. David O’Gurek, MD, the interim chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Jefferson Health, says that adults can have all the same characteristic symptoms as in children; however, typically less so and can be asymptomatic, which is perhaps why HFMD in adults is often overlooked and leads to it being underdiagnosed.

Most often HFMD is caused by coxsackievirus A16 and less often other enteroviruses are to blame. It has been known to especially spread quickly in child care settings where hand hygiene is a challenge and young children are putting their hands in their mouths. 

HFMD is highly contagious and spreads by droplets in the air through sneezing and being in close contact with someone who has it. Many people also develop a rash with blisters. Liquid from the blisters can also transfer the disease to other people and surfaces.

HFMD is almost instantly recognizable when a rash, sometimes with blisters, appears in and around the mouth, and on the hands and feet. The rash can also appear on the buttocks, arms and legs. 

In children HFMD causes a fever, a general feeling of being sick and a sore throat. 

It presents slightly different in adults so it is often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Some of the differences between children and adult symptoms can include children spiking a higher fever and almost always presenting with the rash. Adults with HFMD may feel worse, but don’t always get the rash and blisters.

“Hand, foot and mouth, while more common in children, has been seen in adults for years,” Dr. O’Gurek says.

HFMD is known to spread most easily in child care settings, so most of those affected are under the age of 10. Since it’s difficult to get the children to practice proper hand hygiene, they can also spread it through contact with the virus on surfaces.

The best prevention for HFMD is to stay home and away from others if you know you have it. In child care settings and other public areas, wash your hands properly and often and disinfect high-touch surfaces like light switches and tables. 

HFMD symptoms can last anywhere from a week to several weeks. Since it’s a virus, antibiotics will not help so it’s best to stay home, get rest and try to alleviate the symptoms while they last. 

Treatment can include:

• Using over-the-counter steroid creams to help if the rash is itchy
• Resting
• Staying hydrated
• Rinsing your mouth with salt water to help sores and sore throat feel better

Dr. O’Gurek says that HFMD is not a reportable disease, so it’s difficult to know the exact number of cases, but he has heard that adult cases are rising. 

“Anecdotally, I heard about more cases being seen last fall and perhaps more so seen in adults than perhaps in kids,” he says. “This may be, in part, due to greater awareness that adults can develop HFMD.”

HFMD does generally peak in summer and early autumn when it is raining more, but cases occur year-round. 

The good news is that once you’ve had HFMD your body builds up an immunity that will last quite a while. 

In healthy adults it usually resolves itself, but HFMD can be dangerous to pregnant women in the last few weeks of their pregnancy, or for those who are already immunocompromised like the elderly or people undergoing cancer treatment.

If you do contract HFMD, it’s safe to return to work or school when you’re feeling well enough and when you no longer have a fever.

If you need a diagnosis, see your primary care clinician or pediatrician. 

You can also visit your nearest ExpressCARE or JeffExpress.