手足口病是由肠道病毒所致的全球性传染病。自20世纪90年代后期由肠病道毒所致的手足口病在亚太地区频繁暴发流行，严重的神经系统并发症以及神经源性肺水肿导致残疾和死亡。我国自2008年起每年发生全国范围的手足口病暴发流行，肠病毒71型(EV71)是引起暴发而致死亡的主要病原体。目前手足口病已成为我国各类传染病中发病数最高的丙类传染病，给公共卫生带来严峻的挑战。虽然绝大部分手足口病为自限性疾病，但约0.05%的患儿病情变化迅速并死亡，目前尚缺乏有效的抗病毒药物和疫苗来有效防治手足口病。因此，早期识别危重症病例并早期进行合理的临床管理及诊疗干预、采取及时有效地防控措施是目前降低手足口病所致危害的最主要策略。我国已在积极研发EV71疫苗将给手足口病流行暴发及其重症疾病的预防带来希望，并望有效降低疾病的社会经济负担。

Hand foot and mouth disease is a global infectious disease caused by human enterovirus. Since late 1990s, outbreaks of EV71-asscoiated hand foot and mouth disease have been reported frequently throughout Asia and severe neurological central nerves system involvement and neurogenic pulmonary edema lead to long-term sequela and fatality. Annual national outbreak of hand foot and mouth disease has occurred since 2008 and EV71 is the major causative agent for the outbreak and associated death. Currently, hand foot and mouth disease is a national priority disease and becomes a growing public health concern in China. Hand foot and mouth is usually a benign self-limited disease, however, 0.05% of sick children succumb to severe complications such as brain stem encephalitis and cardiopulmonary collapse based on national data. To date, no effective antiviral drugs and vaccine are available for treatment and prevention of disease. Early diagnosis and recognition of severe complications, timely clinical intervention for severe cases at an earlier stage and implementation of public health measures are the current mainstay of reducing the impact of outbreaks and its associated mortalities. EV71 vaccine under development in China is a promising strategy to prevent EV71 epidemics and severe diseases and reduce its socioeconomic impact.