Health officials in Dominica are warning about the recent increase in reports of a skin condition observed in children. After careful assessment and consultation with health professionals, the Ministry has determined that the nature of the condition and symptoms has prompted further investigation to confirm Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and impetigo.
According to a statement by the Director of Primary Health Care Services (Ag), Dr. Francine Jeffrey-Louis, “the ministry is actively investigating the cases which are primarily at the St. Martin Primary School while they are also investigating other suspected cases across the island.”
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease or HFMD is a mild infection caused by the coxsackievirus that most often affects young children under the age of 10. Although the contagious disease has unpleasant symptoms that cause discomfort, it is not life-threatening.
Impetigo (im-puh-TIE-go) is a common and highly contagious skin infection mainly affecting infants and young children. It usually appears as reddish sores on the face, especially around the nose, mouth, hands, and feet. Over about a week, the sores burst and develop honey-colored crusts.
Impetigo
Illustration of impetigo on different skin colors. Sores mainly occur around the nose and mouth in infants and children.
Treatment with antibiotics can limit the spread of impetigo to others. Keep children home from school or daycare until they’re no longer contagious — usually 24 hours after beginning antibiotic treatment.
Spreading the Virus
The virus causing hand-food-and-mouth disease is contagious and can spread with person-to-person contact such as coughing or sneezing. Fluid from blisters, saliva, and stool can also spread the virus. An individual who touches a surface someone with the virus touched previously can also contract it. Due to this ease of transmission, the disease is common in daycare settings and other childcare situations, as children often put their fingers in their mouths. Adults can spread the virus even if they do not have symptoms of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and children are contagious during the first week of their infection. Even after the symptoms pass, the virus can stay in the body and infect others for days or weeks afterward.