Yes, you can get hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) more than once, both as a child and as an adult.

Can you get hand, foot and mouth twice?

HFMD is caused by a group of different enteroviruses (for example EV-A71, several Coxsackie viruses), not just one single virus. After you have it, your body usually develops immunity to the specific strain that infected you, but not to all the others. That means you can later catch HFMD again if you are exposed to a different strain, and in some cases even the same strain if your immunity wanes over time.

How common is getting it again?

Studies following large numbers of children show that recurrence does happen, but it is still relatively uncommon overall.

  • One surveillance study from China estimated the chance of another HFMD episode at about 1.9% within 12 months, 3.3% within 24 months, and around 4% by about three years after the first illness.
  • Another report mentioned a recurrence rate under 1% in some groups, with most relapses in children aged 2ā€“5 years.
  • Case reports and forum discussions show that adults, especially parents of young kids, do sometimes get HFMD more than once and often describe the adult episodes as particularly miserable.

So: getting HFMD twice (or more) is definitely possible, but it is not something that happens to everyone who has had it once.

Why can it come back?

Several factors explain why you can get HFMD again:

  • Different virus strains:
    HFMD can be caused by multiple enterovirus serotypes. Immunity tends to be strainā€‘specific, so a new strain can infect you again.
  • Viral changes over time:
    The viruses can mutate or recombine genetically, which may help them ā€œescapeā€ existing immunity.
  • Limited or waning immunity:
    Not everyone develops strong, long-lasting immunity after a mild first infection, especially young children.
  • Ongoing exposure:
    Kids in daycare, schools, or households with young children, and parents or caregivers, are frequently exposed to new viral strains.

An example: a child might first have a mild HFMD from Coxsackie A16, recover, and a year later catch a more severe episode from EV-A71, which is a different virus in the same group.

Does it get worse the second time?

Current data do not show a clear pattern that second episodes are always worse.

  • Large studies suggest that the severity of HFMD is not strongly linked to whether it is a first or recurrent infection.
  • Severity is more related to the particular virus (for example EV-A71 can cause more serious complications), the personā€™s age, and their overall health.
  • Individual stories online often describe second episodes in adults as ā€œbrutal,ā€ but those are anecdotal and may not reflect everyoneā€™s experience.

Still, HFMD can occasionally cause serious complications (neurologic or heart- related), so any episode with red-flag symptoms needs medical attention.

How to lower your risk of getting it again

Because HFMD spreads through saliva, nasal secretions, blister fluid, and stool, hygiene and environmental cleaning really matter.

Helpful steps include:

  1. Hand hygiene
    • Wash hands with soap and water after diaper changes or toilet use, after handling tissues, and before eating or preparing food.
 * Help children wash thoroughly, not just a quick rinse.
  1. Avoid sharing items
    • Do not share cups, utensils, towels, toothbrushes, or unwashed toys during and shortly after an illness.
  1. Surface and toy cleaning
    • Regularly disinfect frequently touched surfaces (doorknobs, toys, tablets, high-chair trays) with appropriate disinfectants.
  1. Stay home when sick
    • Keep children with HFMD out of daycare or school during the most contagious period and follow local or doctor advice on return timing.
  1. Extra caution for caregivers and parents
    • Use careful handwashing after caring for a sick childā€™s mouth, nose, or diapers, and avoid close face-to-face contact with saliva when possible.

When to see a doctor

Even though HFMD is often mild, you should seek prompt medical advice if you (or your child) have any of the following:

  • Trouble drinking, signs of dehydration (very few wet diapers, very dark urine, dry mouth, no tears).
  • Persistent high fever, especially lasting longer than 3 days.
  • Unusual sleepiness, irritability, confusion, seizures, or severe headache.
  • Chest pain, fast or difficult breathing, or sudden weakness.
  • A rash that looks very different from typical HFMD or rapidly worsens.

If youā€™ve had HFMD before and think you might have it again, itā€™s reasonable to have a clinician confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of mouth sores or rashes.

TL;DR: Yes, you can get hand, foot, and mouth disease twice (or more), because different viruses cause it and immunity is not universal to all strains. Recurrence is not extremely common, but it is well-documented in children and adults, so good hygiene and staying home when sick are important to reduce your chances of going through it again.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.