19 Students Infected With Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease at Princeton University

A total of 19 students at Princeton University have been diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease since the beginning of the school year, Planet Princeton reports.

University officials are advising students and staff affected by the disease to take every precaution to prevent its spread, according to the report. There has been extra cleaning in common areas.

It’s unclear what has caused the outbreak of the disease, according to nj.com. There was only reported case of the disease at the University all of last year.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than five years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, it can sometimes occur in adults, although infected adults may show no symptoms. Even if an adult shows no symptoms, they can still pass the disease on.

It usually starts with a fever, reduced appetite, sore throat, and a feeling of being unwell.

One or two days after the fever starts, painful sores can develop in the mouth. They are small red spots that blister and can become ulcers, and often begin in the back of the mouth.

A skin rash with red spots, and sometimes with blisters, may also develop over one or two days on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; it may also appear on the knees, elbows, buttocks or genital area.

Some people, especially young children, may get dehydrated if they are not able to swallow enough liquids because of painful mouth sores.