Hand-foot-and-mouth disease caused by coxsackievirus A6 in a patient infected with HIV

Abstract

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is common in children ≤ 5 years of age, and is mainly caused by enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16 (CVA6). A 12-year-old boy on treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) presented to an HIV clinic with fever and a rash on the palms and soles. The syphilis test were negative. Enterovirus was identified from a stool sample by PCR and characterised as as coxsackievirus A6(CVA6). The patient completely recovered a week later. CVA6 has recently been associated with HFMD. This case highlights the significance of the laboratory confirmation of suspected HFMD cases aand phylogenetic analysis of the identified virus.