US Medical Term · maternity
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Enfermedad mano-pie-boca
What it means
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common illness that usually causes fever, mouth sores, and a skin rash. It is caused by viruses, most commonly one called coxsackievirus A16, and it is very contagious. It is most common in infants and children younger than 5 years old, but anyone can get it. The painful mouth sores usually start as small red spots that blister, and the rash can appear on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Most people get better on their own in 7 to 10 days. A health care provider can usually recognize it by asking about the symptoms and looking at the rash on the hands and feet. MedlinePlus lists convulsions as an emergency symptom; emergency signs need urgent care (call 911 in the U.S.).
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Enfermedad mano-pie-boca
- Gender and article
- feminine: la enfermedad mano-pie-boca
- Pronunciation
- ehn-fehr-meh-DAHD MAH-noh PYEH BOH-kah
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| enfermedad de manos, pies y boca | General | The name the CDC uses on its Spanish pages, with plural nouns and commas instead of hyphens. |
| exantema vírico de boca-manos-pies | General | Title of the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia article; the article text also writes exantema vírico de manos, pies y boca. |
| enfermedad de MPB | General | Abbreviated form listed among the alternative names in MedlinePlus en español, next to infección por el virus de Coxsackie. |
The hyphenated headword enfermedad mano-pie-boca follows the English word order, but the U.S. government sources reviewed for this page word the name differently. The CDC writes enfermedad de manos, pies y boca, and MedlinePlus en español titles its article exantema vírico de boca-manos-pies. Gender follows the first noun: la enfermedad, el exantema. The CDC keeps the English abbreviation in Spanish text, writing "HFMD, por sus siglas en inglés," while MedlinePlus en español lists enfermedad de MPB.
For the symptoms, the CDC uses llagas en la boca (mouth sores), sarpullido (rash) and ampollas (blisters); MedlinePlus en español prefers erupción and úlceras. One naming trap matters here: the CDC notes that this illness is not related to fiebre aftosa, the animal disease that English calls foot-and-mouth disease.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | My son has had a fever since yesterday, and today I saw sores inside his mouth. | Mi hijo tiene fiebre desde ayer, y hoy le vi llagas dentro de la boca. |
| Clinician | Does he have a rash or blisters on his hands, his feet, or the diaper area? | ¿Tiene sarpullido o ampollas en las manos, en los pies o en la zona del pañal? |
| Patient | Yes, he has small red spots on his palms and on the soles of his feet. | Sí, tiene manchitas rojas en las palmas de las manos y en las plantas de los pies. |
| Clinician | Is he drinking liquids? How many wet diapers has he had today? | ¿Está tomando líquidos? ¿Cuántos pañales ha mojado hoy? |
| Patient | He cries when he swallows and he hardly wants to drink anything. | Llora cuando traga y casi no quiere tomar nada. |
| Clinician | This looks like hand, foot, and mouth disease, which is caused by a virus. | Esto parece ser la enfermedad de manos, pies y boca, que es causada por un virus. |
| Patient | Other children at his day care have it. When can he go back? | Otros niños de su guardería la tienen. ¿Cuándo puede regresar? |
| Clinician | If your child has a convulsion, call 911 right away. | Si su hijo tiene una convulsión, llame al 911 de inmediato. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease |
| Spanish (Español) | Enfermedad mano-pie-boca |
| Chinese (中文) | 手足口病 |
| Korean (한국어) | 수족구병 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Bệnh tay chân miệng |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Hand, foot, and mouth disease |
| Portuguese (Português) | Doença mão-pé-boca |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โรคมือเท้าปาก |
| Japanese (日本語) | 手足口病 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: B08 → Other viral infections characterized by skin and mucous membrane lesions, not elsewhere classifiedRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Blood and immune system
All terms in this area: Blood and immune system — Sangre y sistema inmunitario
Sources
- About Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- HFMD Symptoms and Complications — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Hand-foot-mouth disease — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, National Library of Medicine
- Exantema vírico de boca-manos-pies — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Acerca de la enfermedad de manos, pies y boca — Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC)
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026