The Brief Georgia reports over twice as many hand, foot, and mouth disease cases this year compared to last year. The disease spreads easily among children under 5 through saliva, droplets, surfaces, and fecal matter. Georgia has already recorded more than twice as many cases of hand, foot and mouth disease this year compared with all of last year, according to state health officials. Because it is viral, antibiotics are not used to treat hand, foot and mouth disease. They can be painful a little bit and very painful in the mouth."