# Coxsackievirus A6 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 22, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975 "2012-06-22T19:09:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/1 "2012-06-22T19:09:50Z")
Check out[this CDC notice](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6112a5.htm). There were several cases of this at my daughter’s daycare. She came down with it. She was cranky and ate somewhat less than usual for a couple of days (and felt warmish for one day, but not so I took her temperature). Then she started to get blisters on her arms and legs–I thought they were bug bites, because we had just started letting her crawl in the grass. Then she got a rash around her mouth and another on her bottom–I thought she was teething (as per the fussiness). Then she got some small blisters on her fingers and the blisters on her legs and bottom got large and angry-looking. I took her to the doctor. The doctor didn’t know what to say; typical hand-foot-mouth doesn’t cause blisters on the arms and legs, and she didn’t have any marks on her palms or soles. He said maybe it was chicken pox (der-der-DER-der-der…) and sent us home. That night, I came down with it. I had two days of sore throat and high fever, then three days developing itching, stinging bumps on my hands and feet. It was about as miserable as having poison ivy all over them. I got a few painless blisters on my arms and legs. There were no blisters in or around my mouth. So anyway… in case any of y’all are around small kids that come down with something similar… this variant of hand-food-mouth is apparently running rampant in the continental US, and many doctors still haven’t heard about it. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/2 "2012-06-22T19:19:06Z")
That’s _horrible_–your poor daughter, and poor you, and everyone who comes down with this, and I hope you are all healed up and feeling better . . . but couldn’t they given it a \*slightly \*less hilarious name? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/3 "2012-06-22T19:58:09Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > That’s _horrible_–your poor daughter, and poor you, and everyone who comes down with this, and I hope you are all healed up and feeling better . . . but couldn’t they given it a \*slightly \*less hilarious name? In all fairness, they didn’t make up the [name for the virus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coxsackie_%28town%29,_New_York). ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/4 "2012-06-22T20:06:13Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > In all fairness, they didn’t make up the [name for the virus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coxsackie_%28town%29,_New_York). Maybe “Greene County Virus” would have been the more prudent choice. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/5 "2012-06-23T03:24:28Z")
Yeowch!! Thanks for the heads-up; I can’t imagine many people are going to be familiar with this. Was there a treatment for it or do you just wait until it goes away? Edit…Guess I should have read the CDC site first. If it’s viral, I guess ya just got to wait it out. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/6 "2012-06-23T03:37:06Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Maybe “Greene County Virus” would have been the more prudent choice. No, this works… “Greene County Virus” sounds like not that big a deal. “Coxsackie Virus” sounds like something you want to avoid. Desperately. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/7 "2012-06-23T04:21:13Z")
Man, I had a different variant (coxsackie a-16, I believe) when I was maybe 11 or 12? Man, that _sucked_. Mine stayed in my mouth, at least, but I would’ve traded for a skin rash (not that that would’ve been a picnic either). Dozens and dozens of canker sores covered my gums, cheeks, _tongue_ and all the way to the back of my throat. It hurt even to talk, I could hardly eat, and to drink anything, I had to try to use a straw shoved as far back as I could. I had some thick ointment I could smear around; it helped a bit for awhile, but it had a slightly odd taste and a creepy texture. I hope you and your daughter feel better soon, **Stattua**. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/8 "2012-06-23T04:43:53Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Check out[this CDC notice](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6112a5.htm). It says, “Most infections are asymptomatic.” Just thought I would point that out. Weird as heckledeckle. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/9 "2012-06-23T13:13:55Z")
My husband seems to have gotten the “asymptomatic” outcome. There’s no way he wasn’t exposed (and it sounds like there’s no way he was immune), but he had a mild sore throat for one day and that was all. None of us got sores in our mouths, thank Og. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/10 "2012-06-23T14:59:32Z")
Did this virus originate in Deadwood? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/11 "2012-06-23T15:25:57Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Did this virus originate in Deadwood? Okay (snaps a rubber band at Boyo) Eve made the joke. We get it. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/12 "2012-06-23T21:31:06Z")
I live about 40 miles from Coxsackie. Both my kids had the virus when they were small. (They are now in their twenties.) Every time we pass by the Coxsackie exit off the NY Thruway, we hold our breath. Nasty stuff. ---
**Author:** ![jojo319](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@jojo319](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jojo319)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/13 "2012-06-27T15:43:46Z")
I live in the U.S. in Illinois, and got it from my 1 year old. I am 42. Her case was very mild, and lasted about 5 days. My fever went away after about 3 days, but I have had the blisters on my hands and feet for over 3 weeks now. The skin is starting to peel like crazy, and my fingernails are painful and look like a few will be coming off as well. This is BY FAR the worst virus I have ever had. I am unable to find any information online or from my doctor about how long this will last. He doesn’t seem too alarmed. It looks like it is improving, but it’s a long slow road. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/14 "2012-06-27T15:55:11Z")
Were you offered any kind of treatment, at all? It’s sounds quite grim, if not. That’s harsh. Sending healing thoughts your way, hope you’re feeling better soon! ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/15 "2012-06-27T16:15:57Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Man, I had a different variant (coxsackie a-16, I believe) when I was maybe 11 or 12? Man, that _sucked_. Mine stayed in my mouth, at least, but I would’ve traded for a skin rash (not that that would’ve been a picnic either). > > Dozens and dozens of canker sores covered my gums, cheeks, _tongue_ and all the way to the back of my throat. It hurt even to talk, I could hardly eat, and to drink anything, I had to try to use a straw shoved as far back as I could. I had some thick ointment I could smear around; it helped a bit for awhile, but it had a slightly odd taste and a creepy texture. > > I hope you and your daughter feel better soon, **Stattua**. I had something similar when I was 7 or 8; dozens of canker sores all over, even in my throat, etc. Even had a creepy thick ointment which my mom got to swab all over (which I remember coming in a white plastic tub with a screw-on lid, similar to a cold cream container, being thick goopy translucent green like a bizarre hair gel with a nasty taste… and it never really seemed to do anything to help). Didn’t know that was hand-foot-mouth disease. I did get to stay home and play Atari, though, so that was pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/16 "2012-06-27T16:58:37Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Were you offered any kind of treatment, at all? > > It’s sounds quite grim, if not. That’s harsh. > > Sending healing thoughts your way, hope you’re feeling better soon! If it’s anything like the traditional hand, foot, and mouth disease, there is, unfortunately, no real treatment. You just have to suffer through it and try to make those who have it as comfortable as possible. It sucks. ☹ Fortunately my daughter has been spared from both so far _fingers crossed_. I hope the Sattua and jojo319 families are doing better now. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/17 "2012-06-27T17:23:04Z")
jojo319–I live in Illinois also. Yay lucky us. My hands are peeling now, also. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/18 "2012-06-27T19:04:33Z")
Yuck – I hope you feel better soon! (Wasn’t A6 the name of the virus in _The Stand_?) ---
**Author:** ![jojo319](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@jojo319](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jojo319)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/19 "2012-06-27T20:02:17Z")
No treatment for it. You just have to wait it out. I think the worst part is not really knowing how long it will last. almost everything I’ve read says the rash lasts 7-10 days. I am 3 1/2 weeks now, and have at LEAST another week to go before I’m cleared up. I think there were hundreds of tiny unseen blisters because when I would wash my hands, it felt like pumice. LOL so gross! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975/20 "2012-06-27T20:26:31Z")
Yeah, my daughter has it (19 months). Over the weekend she started getting tiny bumps on her legs and hands. By Sunday it had spread to her butt and her hands (some of them looked like little warts). We looked it up, figured out what it was, and called in to our doctor. The CDC says there’s no cure, short of just pain medications and waiting it out. Doctor confirmed on Monday that that’s what she had. And it had spread to inside her mouth. Lovely. So now it’s Wednesday and it’s mostly gone away. We’d pulled her from daycare so far this week and we’re making a decision on what to do about tomorrow. I think we’ll take her back. Hopefully she can at least sleep through the night tonight because I’m exhausted right now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coxsackievirus-a6/625975.md?page=2)