What All You Should Know About Tomato Fever

Tomato fever is a flu that is recently emerging and causing havoc amongst the kids and parents in Kerala, India; post COVID-19. However, even though it presents with symptoms similar to COVID 19, it may be completely unrelated.

Tomato fever is a flu that is recently emerging and causing havoc amongst the kids and parents in Kerala, India; post COVID-19.

However, even though it presents with symptoms similar to COVID 19, it may be completely unrelated.

With studies showing, that it is a variation of the previous- Hand foot and mouth disease is one infection that has caused sleepless nights before. It was said to be highly contagious, and spreads among children.

Before we shed some light on Tomato flu, let’s look at some facts and symptoms that were seen in our existing hand foot and mouth disease.

Key Facts:

An epidemic of enteroviruses 71 infection in Taiwan in 1998, resulted in thousands of cases of hand-foot and mouth disease. And there are yearly epidemics in China since 2008.

The attack rate was 100% and caused by coxsackievirus A16 or enterovirus71.

About 90% patients who died were patients less than 5 years of age. Moreover, the mean age of patients with CNS Complications was 6 months.

The Symptoms of this disease after 4-6 days of incubation were as follows:

Fever
Anorexia
Malaise
Sore throat
Vesicle formation
General rash on feet and buttocks

Symptoms of Tomato Flu

The primary symptoms observed in children with tomato flu are similar to those of Chikungunya, followed by Hand foot and mouth disease.

Which include the following:

High Fever
Rashes
Intense Pain In Joints
Rashes leading to Skin Irritation
Drooling of Saliva from the mouth due to ulcers in the mouth

Tomato flu gained the name on basis of eruption of the red and painful blisters throughout one’s body that gradually enlarge to size of a tomato.

Note: One might think that it is chickenpox at first; however, the blisters of mouth, palm and feet are indicative of tomato fever. It is non-threatening in nature.

While the virus is considered to be rare, there have been at least 100 cases been reported in India since first case was identified in the state of Kerala on the May 6, this is according to the report in Lancet Respiratory Medicine on August 17.

Other symptoms include the following:

Fatigue
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dehydration
Swelling of joints
Body aches

Diagnosis of Tomato Flu

If the patients present with symptoms as mentioned above, the doctor will recommend different several serological and also molecular tests that could be used to diagnose either - Dengue, Zika virus, Chikungunya, herpes, or Varicella-zoster virus, or Coxsackie virus.

As there is no specific test to detect tomato fever yet, only elimination of other viruses can help diagnose Tomato Fever.

Disease treatment

The treatment of Tomato flu is quite similar to treatment of a normal flu. These are as follows:

Isolation and hygiene practices
Adequate Rest
Consume plenty of fluids
Hot water sponge for relieving irritation and rashes.

Note: As of today, there is no antiviral vaccine or drug that is available to prevent or to even treat tomato flu.

The closest is- taking influenza vaccine to prevent you from catching the flu.

Supportive therapy

The use of following medication -paracetamol for controlling the fever and body ache (Ibuprofen) while other symptomatic treatments are also required.

Duration: It is seen that it takes around 5-7 days to get cured from the disease.

It is seem that since this can be a variation of hand, foot, and mouth disease given its similarities, if the outbreak of the tomato flu in children is not controlled in time or prevented in time, its transmission might later on lead to some serious consequences by its spread in adults as well.

Prevention of Tomato Fever

Note from Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Center

The best solutions that can be seen for the prevention of Tomato flu are the following:

Maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitization of surrounding necessities as well as the environment
Preventing the infected child from also sharing the toys, clothes, food, or any other items with the other non-infected children.

Drug repurposing and the vaccination are considered to be the most efficacious and the most cost-effective approaches to ensure the safety of public health from the viral infections, especially seen in children, the older people, and the immunocompromised people from the flu.

The further follow-up and the monitoring for any other serious outcomes and its sequel are further needed for understanding the need for any other potential treatments.

To seek Free Consultation from the Doctor:

Contact- Dr. Ravin Sharma, (MBBS, MD Radiology)

Available: 24*7*365

Phone Number: +91 9212125996

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Why should Ganesh diagnostic and Imaging Centre be your preference for ruling out other diseases and confirming Tomato fever/flu?

At Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Centre, we are known for providing excellent service and care to its patients for decades. Lakhs of satisfied patients over the years!

It is an established and renowned diagnostic centre since 2001.

Their excellence is backed by NABH and NABL Accreditations.

NABH accreditation is proof of highest standard of care and service provided to the patients. NABL accreditation reflects the competency of laboratories and equipment based on some national and international standards.

Test report is available digitally too.

Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Centre is a one-stop solution for getting all kinds of tests done, as all services are available under one roof.

The aim of GDIC is to provide world’s finest technology at the lowest price.

The rates of scans are reasonably priced. Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Centre also offer FLAT 50% OFF on many tests.

Patients can rely upon test reports as reports are 100% accurate.