Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) commonly produces herpangina, but fatal neurological complications have been observed in children. Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) and Coxsackievirus 16 (CV-A16) are the predominant viruses causing HFMD worldwide. With rising concern about HFMD outbreaks, there is a need for an effective vaccine against EV-A71 and CV-A16. Although an inactivated vaccine has been developed against EV-A71 in China, the inability of the inactivated vaccine to confer protection against CV-A16 infection and other HFMD etiological agents, such as CV-A6 and CV-A10, necessitates the exploration of other vaccine platforms. Thus, the antigenic peptide-based vaccines are promising platforms to develop safe and efficacious multivalent vaccines, while the monoclonal antibodies are viable therapeutic and prophylactic agents against HFMD etiological agents. This article reviews the available information related to the antigenic peptides of the etiological agents of HFMD and their neutralizing antibodies that can provide a basis for the design of future therapies against HFMD etiological agents.
Keywords: antigenic peptide; neutralizing antibodies; vaccine.