Why is tomato fever a cause of concern for Indian children?

On May 6, 2022, India's first case of 'tomato fever' was reported in the Kollam district of Kerala.

By August 21, the disease took a concerning leap, as 82 children below the age of 5 have now been detected with this highly contagious virus across the country. Also known as Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD), tomato fever has now become a cause of concern for health experts as it rapidly spreads among children.

According to the study punished in the Lancet Respiratory Journal, tomato flu or tomato fever is a rare viral disease.

The flu was named on the basis of the eruption of red and painful blisters throughout the body that can grow to the size of a tomato. This flu is caused by intestinal viruses and is rare in adults as they usually have strong immune systems.

This is the same reason why children are more vulnerable to the disease. Other symptoms apart from the more obvious blisters include tiredness, joint pain, vomiting and nausea.

The symptoms also include high fever, body aches and fatigue — much like chikungunya. Health experts say that it is a self-limiting illness that needs to be treated for the symptoms. There is no drug to treat the disease and no vaccines for its prevention are available.

Health experts have advised maintaining sanitary and hygienic surroundings to stop the spread of tomato fever and keep the Infected children in isolation until the symptoms subside fully.

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