BANGKOK, 27 July 2012 – Virus experts have discussed guidelines to inform people of encephalitis and hand, foot and mouth (HFMD) disease caused by Enterovirus71 or (EV71) following confusion among the public about the two illnesses.
The experts met on Friday to seek ways to make the public understand that EV71 was a group of virus that may cause different diseases, including HFMD and encephalitis, depending on the health condition of a person. Similar to flu virus, if the infected person was healthy, he would not have symptoms of flu. But if he was unhealthy, the weak systems in his body would be damaged, the experts said.
Confusion and concern among the public over HFMD and encephalitis have occurred after a 16-year-old man in Sa Kaeo province died of encephalitis caused by E71. HFMD is now spreading in Thailand with one confirmed death.
Meanwhile, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control MD Pornthep Siriwanarangsan said he had brought a team to a nursery in Nonthaburi province to monitor its cleaning work and measures to prevent young children from HFMD.
