To investigate the effect of sterilization and isolation combined with immune and nutritional therapy in preventing and treating repeated infection of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

Total of 400 children with HFMD were randomly divided into treatment group (200 cases) and control group (200 cases). Individual nutritional support was given after re-illness. Children in the control group were only given conventional treatment after HFMD. The recurrence rate and severity rate were compared between the two groups, respectively.

For the treatment group, the mean antipyretic period was (1.7 ± 1.1) days, the rash subsiding period was (4.0 ± 1.3) days, the average hospitalization period was (5.6 ± 2.4) days, and the application rates of antibiotics and hormone were 19% (38/200) and 8% (16/200), which was significantly lower than those of the control group (t = 10.028, 8.677, 8.353, 20.650, 11.312; P = 0.015, 0.032, 0.001, 0.004, 0.011). Recurrence rate within one year of cases in treatment group, the incidence of severe disease and complications were 12% (24/200), 1% (2/200) and 5% (10/200), respectively, all significantly lower than those of the control group, with significant differences (χ² = 9.21, 0.88, 7.24; P = 0.010, 0.002, 0.007).

The combination of health education, nutritional follow-up and individualized nutrition support therapy can reduce the recurrence rate and severe rate of HFMD and improve the clinical outcome.