Herpangina Symptoms

Herpangina is a common childhood infection caused by the Group A coxsackie viruses. Herpangina can affect anyone of any age, but most commonly affects children under 10 years of age. Herpangina is highly contagious and spread through direct contact with the virus. Since it commonly strikes children, it can sometimes reach epidemic levels in enclosed populations such as schools. Fortunately, complications are rare in herpangina, and the most common symptoms are easy to recognize.

Internal Symptoms

• Many symptoms of herpangina aren't immediately visible to the naked eye. A rapidly developing fever marks an early onset of the virus. The fever can reach up to 106 degrees Farenheit in less than 24 hours. Patients may complain of a headache ranging from mild to moderate in severity. Patients may also complain of a sore throat and nausea; the combination of these two symptoms may trigger a marked decrease in appetite and even vomiting in very small children.

Visible Symptoms

• The most commonly visible symptom of herpangina is oral lesions. These open sores are grayish white and no larger than 5 mm in diameter. They may appear all over the back of the throat, the tonsils, cheeks, gums, the soft palate and on and under the tongue. While these sores are usually painful and may become infected if the patient doesn't practice proper hygiene, the lesions usually self-heal within a week.

Possible Complications

• In most cases, herpangina does not cause any major complications. Patients can relieve most of the symptoms of herpangina with over-the-counter treatments such as acetaminophen for headaches and topical treatments for the mouth ulcers. Symptoms usually heal completely within a few days. Occasionally, however, the lesions associated with the virus persist into the pharynx, esophagus and even the stomach. Ulcers can grow large and severe enough to cause hepatic stomatitis and numerous large mouth lesions. Since severe throat pain and a loss of appetite are both common symptoms of the disease, dehydration is also a common complication. It is easily preventable by maintaining a high level of fluid intake throughout the illness' course.