Covid-19 has made us all more vary of any disease outbreaks. One such outbreak of a contagious disease called tomato flu in India has experts concerned.
The disease, which was first identified in May 2022 in the Kollam district of Indian state Kerala, has started spreading rapidly, affected more than 100 children in India.
The cause of tomato flu is not known exactly, though experts believe that it might either be a variant of hand foot and mouth disease, which is caused by enterovirus, or an after-effect of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever.
Here's everything you need to know about tomato flu, including symptoms, how it spreads and advice for parents.
What is tomato flu?
Tomato flu is a viral infection in small children accompanied by tomato-like blisters on the body, according to doctor Monika Wassermann, MD at Boutiquetoyou.com.
The disease mainly affects children aged between one and five years. Though very contagious, the disease has been found to be non-fatal.
Dr Wassermann says: "The good news is that it can go away within 10 days. However, if symptoms persist consult your doctor immediately."
What are main symptoms of tomato flu?
According to Dr Monika Wasserman, the main symptoms of tomato flu include:
• Rashes/tomato-like blisters
• Dehydration
• Skin irritation
Other symptoms that children infected with the disease may experience are:
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Body weakness
• Joint ache and pain
• Fever.
How does tomato flu spread and is it dangerous?
Tomato flu spreads from one child to another through close contact such as when playing, touching or sitting with infected patients.
If symptoms are controlled, the infection typically resolves on its own. However, if you leave symptoms untreated then dehydration from the disease can cause severe conditions, including kidney stones, constipation and low blood volume shock, which can be fatal.
Dr Wassermann advises: "I wish to inform parents to monitor their kids closely. They should avoid touching blisters when spotted and reach out to a healthcare provider. They should also ensure that kids get a healthy diet and all necessary vaccines for boosted immunity."
Though the risk of the disease is said to be low and it hasn't been reported outside India, it's important to be vigilant as tomato flu is a contagious virus and has potential to spread outside the country as well.
