Hand foot and mouth disease left S. Korean baby brain dead: authorities

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean toddler has been diagnosed as being brain dead after being infected with hand, foot and mouth disease caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71), the nation's health authorities said Friday.

The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said that a 12-month-old
female baby currently has no brain activity after being treated for the disease
at an intense-care center.
She was admitted to hospital for symptoms such as vomiting, fever and rashes
around her hands late last month. The baby developed the symptoms after being
vaccinated for Japanese encephalitis at a local hospital, the ministry said.
EV71 can cause a severe form of the disease characterized by high fever,
paralysis and meningitis. Hand, foot and mouth disease is relatively common among
children, but rarely fatal.
On May 13, a 12-month-old baby was reported to have died from the disease.