Clinical manifestations of severe enterovirus 71 infection and early assessment in a Southern China population.

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) shows a potential of rapid death, but the natural history of the infection is poorly known. This study aimed to examine the natural history of EV-A71 infection.

Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal observational study performed between January 1 and October 31, 2012, at three hospitals in Guangdong, China.