Herpes pharyngitis and hand, foot and mouth disease are both common summer illnesses in children. Both are caused by enterovirus infections, so are these two diseases the same thing? Herpes pharyngitis is mainly a yellowish-white herpetic rash in the isthmus area surrounded by a red halo. In contrast, HFMD mainly occurs on the hands, feet, mouth, and buttocks. Herpes pharyngitis usually heals on its own, while HFMD does not necessarily do so. HFMD may be more severe, triggering serious consequences such as neurogenic pulmonary edema encephalitis. A few cases of HFMD may have only a herpes in the mouth during the first two days of the disease, which can be easily confused with herpes pharyngitis and can be differentiated as the disease progresses. So as a whole, herpes pharyngitis and HFMD are two different diseases caused by different kinds of viruses within the same class of viruses.