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A new mysterious infectious disease is spreading among young children in India. Its symptoms resemble COVID-19, although no link to the coronavirus has been found. A characteristic sign is red, painful blisters all over the body, which gradually grow to the size of a tomato. Hence the name: “tomato flu” or “tomato fever”. It is not known what causes it. However, there are some suspicions.
- By July 26, more than 82 Indian children in Kerala state had been diagnosed with tomato flu. It has been known for several days that the disease appeared in two more Indian states
- Diagnosing tomato flu is difficult – its symptoms are very similar to those of other diseases, including COVID-19 and dengue fever
- The symptoms seen in children with tomato flu include high fever, severe joint pain, rashes, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- The most characteristic symptom is red and painful blisters appearing throughout the body, which gradually grow to the size of a tomato
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Why does tomato flu mainly affect children?
We heard about the tomato flu for the first time in May this year. The first case of the mysterious disease was identified early in the month in the Kollam district of Kerala state in southeastern India. Tomato flu had been diagnosed in more than 17 children under the age of five in Kerala by July 26, according to an article published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine on August 82. A few days ago, local media reported that new cases had been confirmed in two more Indian states: Tamil Nadu and Odisha. This time older children, nine years old, were ill.
Little is known about the tomato flu and its causes. However, scientists have determined that it is very contagious – is easily spread through close contact, for example through diapers, touching dirty surfaces or putting things in the mouth. For this reason, young children are particularly vulnerable to infection. “If the tomato flu epidemic in children is not controlled and prevented, its transmission can lead to serious consequences by spreading to adults as well,” warn the authors of the report published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Doctors say that the diagnosis of tomato flu is difficult because its symptoms are very similar to those of other diseases. Tomato fever is diagnosed by tests that exclude dengue, Zika, chickenpox, and herpes viruses. However, researchers point out that symptoms could also be related to other conditions that are no longer being tested (including hand, foot, and mouth conditions).
A typical symptom of tomato flu: painful blisters up to the size of a tomato
«Although tomato flu shows symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 (both conditions are initially associated with fever, fatigue and body aches and some COVID-19 patients also report skin rashes), the virus is not related to SARS-CoV-2 »- emphasize the authors of the already mentioned work from the Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The disease also closely resembles the symptoms of dengue fever and chikungunya (tropical viral disease).
The main symptoms seen in children with tomato flu include high fever, severe joint pain, and rashes that lead to skin irritation. The most characteristic symptom is red and painful blisters appearing throughout the body, which gradually grow to the size of a tomato.
Further symptoms of the tomato flu include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration, joint swelling and common flu-like symptoms.
Although tomato flu is considered highly contagious, it appears to be non-life threatening and relatively mild (lasting seven to 10 days). However, there are still more questions than answers. “At the moment it looks like the virus is mild and is going away on its own, but most people who have had this infection are young and we don’t really know what can happen to an immunocompromised person or whether it will spread to the elderly.” – emphasized prof. Vasso Apostolopoulos, one of the authors of the report.
Tomato Flu – There is no cure or vaccine
So far, no drugs or antiviral vaccines are available to prevent tomato flu. Scientists emphasize that further observations and monitoring of the disease are needed for serious sequelae.
At the moment, the chain of infections can be stopped by strictly following the rules of isolating children diagnosed or suspected of having the disease. This isolation should last five to seven days from the onset of symptoms. Sick children should rest and drink plenty of fluids, it is also recommended to rinse skin irritations with warm water. “Supportive treatment with paracetamol for fever and body aches and other symptomatic treatments is necessary” – emphasize the researchers.
When it comes to prevention, “the best solution is to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation … and to prevent an infected child from sharing toys, clothes, food or other items with uninfected children,” the authors of the report point out.
Where did the tomato flu come from? Scientists’ suspicions
The question remains, where did the tomato flu come from? There are many doubts. It is not known if it is caused by one virus or if there are more. It is also possible that the pathogen is not new. “That is why urgent laboratory tests and genotyping of any identified viruses are needed,” says Ashley Quigley of the University of New South Wales (Australia), who was not involved in the report.
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There are suspicions that tomato flu may not be a viral infection but a consequence of chikungunya or dengue fever in children. The authors of the report do not rule out that the pathogen «may also be a new variant of the viral disease of the hands, feet and mouth, a common infectious disease that mainly affects children 1–5 years of age and immunocompromised adults, with some case studies even showing the disease hands, feet and mouth in adults with a properly functioning immune system ».
Until more is known about tomato fever, scientists say people should remain calm, but be careful.