Severe Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak in Vietnam Linked to Single Enterovirus A71 Introduction

A severe outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease in Vietnam has been traced to a single introduction of Enterovirus A71 Subgenogroup B5. This highlights how quickly an imported lineage can exploit gaps in population immunity, and how the cyclical nature of enterovirus transmission creates recurring cohorts of susceptible infants between epidemic waves.