Global epidemiological and aetiological patterns of hand, foot, and mouth disease: a country-level scoping synthesis.

BACKGROUND

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has historically been predominantly reported in the Asia-Pacific region, while its global epidemiology and aetiology remain fragmented and incompletely characterised. We aimed to synthesise currently available country-level evidence to describe global epidemiological and aetiological patterns of HFMD.

METHODS

We conducted a country-level scoping synthesis of published studies and publicly available surveillance reports through August 2025. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported epidemiological or aetiological data on HFMD at the national or subnational level, including case numbers, incidence, outbreaks, and enterovirus (EV) serotype distributions. We qualitatively synthesised the data, with a focus on surveillance availability, epidemiological trends, and major circulating EV serotypes.

RESULTS

Reported HFMD incidence declined during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently rebounded in many settings, in some settings exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Aetiological evidence suggests an increasing circulation of coxsackievirus A6 in multiple regions, with coxsackievirus A16 and EV A71 continuing to co-circulate in specific settings. However, routine epidemiological and aetiological surveillance remained largely concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region. In many other countries, available data were limited and primarily derived from outbreak-driven or sporadic studies. Heterogeneity was observed in surveillance systems and data availability across countries.

CONCLUSIONS

Global HFMD epidemiological and aetiological patterns are characterised by disparities in surveillance capacity and data availability. Developing standardised surveillance and aetiological monitoring is essential to further understand the global landscape of HFMD, improve data comparability, support early detection of epidemiological changes, and inform evidence-based prevention and control strategies.