Purpose To investigate the location and distribution of EV71 receptors scavenger receptor class B member 2 ( SCARB2 ) and human P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) in lung tissues of fatal hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), healthy children and adults. Methods The expression of EV71 receptors SCARB2 and PSGL-1 was detected by using immunohistochemistry in lung tissues of 15 autopsies of HFMD, 3 of healthy children, 8 of healthy adults. Results SCARB2 distributed in bronchial, bronchioli ep-ithelia, alveolar epithelial cells and inflammatory cells among HFMD, healthy children and adults. No significant difference was noted of the positive rates of SCARB2 expression among these three groups (P>0. 05). PSGL-1 distributed in bronchial and bronchioli epi-thelium of adults, but no PSGL-1 expression was found in HFMD and healthy children. The positive rates of PSGL-1 were 100%, 0, 0 in bronchial and bronchioli epithelium among the three groups, respectively (P<0. 05). The positive rates of PSGL-1 were 100%, 66. 7%, 100% in inflammatory cells among HFMD, healthy children and adults, respectively. No significant difference was noted of PSGL-1 expression among the three groups (P>0. 05). Further, no PSGL-1 expression was observed in alveolar epithelia cells of all groups tested. Conclusions EV71 receptor SCARB2 distributes in bronchial, bronchioli, alveolar epithelial and inflammatory cells of HFMD. Meanwhile, PSGL-1 only distributes in inflammatory cells of HFMD, suggesting that SCARB2 possibly plays a role on HFMD infection.