Eli5: why does hand, foot and mouth disease cause sores only on those parts of the body?

Question

Why does HFM (coxsackie virus) only cause sores on certain parts of the body when other similar diseases (measles, chickenpox, smallpox, etc.) affects all areas of the body?

In: 6

Answer 1

Because these areas of the body are more vulnerable to infection. The mouth, hands, and feet are exposed to the outside environment more frequently than other parts of the body, and are therefore more likely to come into contact with the viruses that cause hand, foot, and mouth disease. Also, the mouth, hands, and feet have a high concentration of nerve endings, which makes them more sensitive to infection and inflammation.