Clinical diagnosis criteria
Patients with the following symptoms were defined as cases of HFMD: fever; papules and herpes on the mucous membranes of the hands, feet, or mouth; rash on the buttocks or knees with inflammatory flushing around the rash, and blisters with a small amount of fluid. Severe cases of HFMD were defined as the presence of additional neurologic, cardiogenic, or pulmonary disease.