Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a mild exanthematous, febrile disease, but it also remains a threat to global public health. HFMD is characterized by a brief febrile illness in children and with a typical skin rash of the hand and foot, with or without mouth ulcers. However, the morphology and distribution of vesicles, as well as accompanying symptoms, are varied among atypical HFMD. An upsurge in atypical presentations of HFMD caused by Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6), including Gianotti-Crosti-like eruptions, eczema coxsackium, petechial/purpuric eruption, and vesiculobullous exanthema, can be difficult to diagnose clinically as it may mimic other severe skin diseases, such as eczema herpeticum, varicella, disseminated zoster, and erythema multiforme major. The recognition of the distinguishing features of atypical HFMD is vital for an accurate and timely diagnosis, as is initiating appropriate laboratory evaluation and supportive care. Clinicians must identify the wide range of cutaneous and mucosal alterations caused by atypical HFMD. A systemic, high-quality overview of atypical HFMD is needed for advances in better strategies for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Hence, this review is aimed at summarizing the available data on clinical investigations and differential diagnostics to provide a scientific guide for the timely diagnosis of HFMD for preventing serious complications.
Keywords: CVA6; HFMD; atypical manifestations; differential diagnosis; genetic evolution.