How long is hand, foot, mouth disease contagious for after the onset of symptoms? and can it live on surfaces for long periods of time?

Coxsackie: Coxsackie virus causes hand foot and mouth disease. There are many strains of this virus. It is contagious usually around 7 days while the blisters are active. It is difficult to kill the virus and is often spread in the swimming pool in the summer.

About a week: It is most contagious during the first week of symptoms. People can remain contagious for extended periods of time in some cases. Here is a link from the CDC that gives a lot of information. http://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/index.html