Virological and epidemiological investigations of a severe hand foot and mouth disease outbreak, Vietnam, 2023

@article{nguyet2026virological,
  title = {{Virological and epidemiological investigations of a severe hand foot and mouth disease outbreak, Vietnam, 2023}},
  author = {Lam Anh Nguyet and Nguyen To Anh and Du Tuan Quy and Nguyen Thi Thu Hong and Ngo Ngoc Quang Minh and Phung Nguyen The Nguyen and Pham Van Quang and Do Duong Kim Han and Nguyen Thi Han Ny and Le Nguyen Truc Nhu and Truong Hoang Chau Truc and Cao Thu Thuy and Nhung Ngoc Hoang and Tran Ba Thien and Le Kim Thanh and Nguyen Thanh Hung and Truong Huu Khanh and Cao Minh Hiep and Nghiem My Ngoc and Nguyen Thanh Dung and Le Nguyen Thanh Nhan and Nguyen Van Vinh Chau and Ha Manh Tuan and H Rogier van Doorn and Marc Choisy and Tran Tan Thanh and Le Van Tan},
  journal = {PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0014789},
  url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014789},
  note = {CC BY},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Virological and epidemiological investigations of a severe hand foot and mouth disease outbreak, Vietnam, 2023
AU  - Lam Anh Nguyet
AU  - Nguyen To Anh
AU  - Du Tuan Quy
AU  - Nguyen Thi Thu Hong
AU  - Ngo Ngoc Quang Minh
AU  - Phung Nguyen The Nguyen
AU  - Pham Van Quang
AU  - Do Duong Kim Han
AU  - Nguyen Thi Han Ny
AU  - Le Nguyen Truc Nhu
AU  - Truong Hoang Chau Truc
AU  - Cao Thu Thuy
AU  - Nhung Ngoc Hoang
AU  - Tran Ba Thien
AU  - Le Kim Thanh
AU  - Nguyen Thanh Hung
AU  - Truong Huu Khanh
AU  - Cao Minh Hiep
AU  - Nghiem My Ngoc
AU  - Nguyen Thanh Dung
AU  - Le Nguyen Thanh Nhan
AU  - Nguyen Van Vinh Chau
AU  - Ha Manh Tuan
AU  - H Rogier van Doorn
AU  - Marc Choisy
AU  - Tran Tan Thanh
AU  - Le Van Tan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/05
JO  - PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014789
UR  - https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014789
AB  - We report on the virological and epidemiological features of a severe hand foot and mouth disease outbreak in Vietnam in 2023. Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) subgenogroup B5, first emerging around November 2022, and imported into Vietnam through a single introduction, was the primary cause. Convalescent plasma collected from patients infected with subgenogroups B5 in 2014 and 2023 could neutralize both contemporary viruses with comparable titers, suggesting no evidence of immune evasion. However, at one and six months before the start of the outbreak, only 6.7% of 0– < 3 year-old children in Ho Chi Minh City, an epicenter of the outbreak, had neutralizing antibodies against EV-A71. Seroprevalence increased as the outbreak progressed, coinciding with a drop in EV-A71 infected patients residing in Ho Chi Minh City, suggesting that serosurveillance could be a useful tool to assess the risk of pathogen emergence. Our collective findings have provided novel insights into the epidemiological factors driving EV-A71 emergence, and therefore would inform outbreak preparedness and response, and in particular the development of serosurveillance-based approach to assess the risk of pathogen emergence. EV-A71 infection represents an ongoing public health threat, currently affecting countries in the Asia-Pacific region, but with a high potential to become a global problem, and therefore should be closely monitored. Author summary: In 2023, Vietnam experienced a large and severe outbreak of hand food and mouth disease in children. Our investigations showed that enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) subgenogroup B5, first emerging around November 2022, and then introduced into Vietnam through a single event, was the main cause. Blood samples from patients who recovered from subgenogroups B5 infection in 2014 and 2023 could neutralize both contemporary viruses without evidence of immune evasion. Before the start of the outbreak, only 6.7% of 0– < 3 year-old children in Ho Chi Minh City, an epicenter of the outbreak, had neutralizing antibodies that can block EV-A71 infection. Seroprevalence increased as the outbreak progressed, while the number of the infected patients decreased. Monitoring population immunity against EV-A71 could help assess the risk of pathogen emergence. EV-A71 infection represents an ongoing public health threat, currently affecting countries in the Asia-Pacific region, but with a high potential to become a global problem, and therefore should be closely monitored.
SN  - 1935-2735
SN  - 1935-2727
ER  -