... ] A Guide to Clinical Management and Public Health Responsefor Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)transmission; pathogenesis; laboratory diagnosis; clinical features and management; and prevention and control.In ... diagnosishastraditionallybeenbasedoncellculture and virusisolation and identification,bothofwhicharetime-consuming and resource-intensive.Modernmoleculartechniqueshavebeendeveloped and arenowinuseinsomelaboratories.Effective and accuratevirologicaldiagnosisdependsonthecorrecttiming and collectionofappropriateclinicalspecimens, and theirtransport to thelaboratoryunderoptimalconditions.Thisrequiresclosecooperationbetweenlaboratoryexperts,epidemiologists and clinicians.3.2 Laboratory safety To ensuresafehandlingofclinicalsamples and infectiousmaterials,laboratoriesshouldfollowthenecessarybiosafety,chemical,fire and electricalsafetyrequirements to protectstaff,thecommunity and theenvironment(2).Thedirectors and allstaffofdiagnosticlaboratories ... ShekharK,etal.Deathsinchildrenduringanoutbreakofhand,foot and mouthdiseaseinPeninsularMalaysia-clinical and pathologicalcharacteristics.MedicalJournalofMalaysia,2005,Aug,60(3):297–304.36. PodinY,etal.Sentinelsurveillanceforhumanenterovirus71inSarawak,Malaysia:lessonsfromthefirst7years.BMCPublicHealth,2006,6:180.37....