Hand, Foot And Mouth Disease At Johns Hopkins Reported

BALTIMORE, MD — An outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease has been reported on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. More than 100 cases have reportedly been confirmed.

There were 129 students diagnosed with the disease as of Tuesday, according to NBC, which reported the head of the JHU Health and Wellness Center said that typically only a few cases occur at a time.

"I have never seen this before," Roanna Kessler, M.D., head of the Johns Hopkins University Student Health and Wellness Center, told the news station, which said the university was providing sanitizing wipes for students who have hand, foot and mouth disease to use on anything they may have touched.

The Homewood campus is not alone — Dartmouth, Lehigh, Mars Hill, Princeton, Wesleyan and West Virginia universities have also had outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease this year, NBC reported.

Typically, the virus starts with a fever and may also be accompanied by decreased appetite, sore throat and a general unwell feeling, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Within two days of developing a fever, health officials say a person will notice red sores appear in the mouth, and a rash may break out on feet, elbows, genitals or buttocks.

Because it may be painful to swallow, someone who contracts hand, foot and mouth disease may become dehydrated, according to the Mayo Clinic. It may help to consume cold foods like ice cream or popsicles, health officials advise.

Hand, foot and mouth disease spreads through contact with an infected person's saliva; nose/throat discharge; stool; blister secretions; or coughing/sneezing, the Mayo Clinic reports.

The Maryland Department of Health has officially declared the situation a hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak as of early October, Johns Hopkins University news source The Hub reported.

Dr. Kessler sent a message to students recently advising them to avoid sharing dishes, cups and silverware with anyone, according to The Hub.

In addition, the wellness center created a hand, foot and mouth disease page with information about the illness that said reported cases on the Homewood campus trickled in at the end of August and rapidly increased during September.

"Students at Johns Hopkins seem to be developing a fever and sore throat initially. During this time, they may feel awful with muscle aches and pronounced fatigue," according to the information page. "As the fever and fatigue begin to resolve, a rash may develop on their hands, feet and/or other body parts."

Students were advised to stay home from class if they had open sores or a fever, and health officials said it was important for them to wash their hands often with soap and water, clean their living spaces and disinfect surfaces they have touched.

The maintenance staff has been conducting extra cleaning around residence halls, according to WBAL, which reported the university has also raised awareness about the outbreak through fliers.

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