Epidemic Characterization of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Jiaxing City, China

Abstract

Abstract Objective Our study aimed to analyze the main pathogenic characteristics of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in Jiaxing City in 2022 and analyze enterovirus (EV)-positive samples that could not be typed by gene sequencing to provide insights for further prevention and control of HFMD. Methods Nucleic acid sequencing of enteroviruses was performed on 585 clinical samples from Jiaxing City in 2022, and Nucleic acid sequencing and molecular characterization of the VP1 region were performed on 30 strains of EV-positive samples. Results Among the 585 clinical samples, CV-A6, CV-A16, and CV-A10 samples were 51.6%, 15.6%, and 12.1%, respectively, while EV-positive but unsuccessfully typed samples were 13.3%. Sequence analysis revealed that 12 strains of CV-A4, 2 strains of CV-B3, 6 strains of CV-A6, and 2 strains of E-18 were successfully identified in the 30 strains of EV-positive samples. CV-A4 was found to be the most abundant strain. Conclusion The prevalence of HFMD in Jiaxing City in 2022 was dominated by CV-A6, supplemented with CV-A16, CV-A10, and other enteric strains. CV-A4 was the most abundant strain among the untyped EV-positive samples, and its prevalence needs to be closely monitored.