what is tomato flu?

the viral disease, named after the tomato-shaped blisters that appear across the body, is highly contagious, but so far, it has not been seen in other countries.

by karen hawthorne

published aug 25, 2022

last updated aug 27, 2022

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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the virus is a strain of hand-foot-and-mouth disease

india’s health ministry said the disease is a variant of hand-foot-and-mouth disease which is common in school-age children. getty

authorities are on high alert in india as a new influenza virus, commonly known as tomato fever or tomato flu, has infected more than 100 children over the last few months, bloomberg reports. india’s ministry of health has issued testing and prevention guidelines to curb the spread of the infection that was first identified in the kollam district of the southern state of kerala on may 6. now more than 82 children younger than five years have been sickened by the illness in the south, and another 26 children have been reported sick by local hospitals in eastern odisha state.

what are the signs of tomato flu?

tomato flu is a rare and highly infectious viral disease that gets its name from the primary symptom, tomato-shaped blisters, that appear across the body. they start as small, red-coloured blistered and then take on a tomato shape as they get bigger. rashes can also appear that cause skin irritation.

while it’s not clear what causes tomato flu, the disease is non life-threatening, according to a new paper published in the journal the lancet respiratory medicine. however, study authors say, “because of the dreadful experience of the covid-19 pandemic, the vigilant management is desirable to prevent further outbreaks.”

the illness most commonly affects young children, and flare-ups have occurred in nursery schools and daycares. like many viruses, tomato fever can also cause fever, fatigue and body aches.

tomato flu is not related to covid

india’s health ministry said the disease is a variant of the so-called hand-foot-and-mouth disease that is common in school-age children, adding that the illness is not related to covid-19, monkeypox, dengue and chikungunya, bloomberg reports.

the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) notes that hand-foot-and-mouth disease (hfmd) is a very contagious illness caused by the coxsackievirus that spreads through an infected person’s throat and nose secretions with coughing and sneezing, feces, and fluid from scabs and blisters that can form from the virus. the disease typically causes fever and flu-like symptoms, mouth sores and a skin rash. hfmd is common in the u.s. and occurs most often in summer and fall.

but according to some experts, it’s a different picture in india.

dr. ekta gupta, assistant professor of virology at the institute of liver and biliary sciences in new delhi told the indian express, “hfmd is not a new infection, we have read about it in our textbooks and it has been reported from time to time across the country. but, it is not very common.”

she also explained that since the disease tends to go away on its own without treatment, doctors usually didn’t test for it in the past: “there are so many viral infections in children, but we cannot test for each and every one. however, we are now seeing more and more viral infections because testing for viral infections has increased over the last five years with virology labs being set up across the country. and the pandemic has given a further push to such surveillance.”

how does tomato flu spread?

children are particularly vulnerable to tomato flu because it spreads easily through close contact, such as through diapers, touching unclean surfaces or putting things in mouths. sanitation and good hygiene are recommended for prevention.

is there a treatment for tomato flu?

tomato flu will go away on its own within a few days and no specific drug exists to treat it, according to the lancet. caregivers are advised to make sure that those who are ill rest and drink plenty of fluids. a hot water sponge can relieve skin irritation and rashes, and medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used for pain and fever.

india’s health ministry has also recommended isolation for five to seven days from the start of symptoms to prevent the spread of infection to other children or adults.

so far, tomato flu is contained within india.

karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.

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karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

what is tomato flu?