Early symptoms and preventive measures of hand, foot and mouth disease Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease caused by enteroviruses. It mainly affects infants and young children. Prevention and early diagnosis are very important. The following will give a detailed introduction to hand, foot and mouth disease in terms of early symptoms, transmission routes, infection risks and prevention. Early Symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Common symptoms include fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers, sores at the corners of the mouth, etc. A rash may appear, first on the hands and ankles, then on the palms and soles of the feet