Centre issues advisory on ‘Tomato Flu’ to states: Key points

India

pti-PTI

New
Delhi,
Aug
23:
With
more
than
82
cases
of
‘tomato
flu’
reported
in
children
in
the
country,
the
Centre
on
Tuesday
asked
the
states
to
follow
preventive
measures,
stressing
that
there
is
no
specific
medication
to
treat
the
viral
disease.

The
disease,
which
seems
to
be
a
variant
of
Hand,
Foot
and
Mouth
Disease
(HFMD),
occurs
mainly
in
children
under
10
years
of
age,
but
it
can
occur
in
adults
too,
an
advisory
issued
by
the
Centre
said,
adding
that
the
children
must
be
educated
about
the
signs
and
symptoms
and
side-effects
of
the
illness.
Although
the
tomato
flu
virus
shows
symptoms
similar
to
other
viral
infections
(fever,
fatigue,
body
aches
and
rashes
on
the
skin),
the
virus
is
not
at
all
related
to
SARS-CoV-2,
monkeypox,
dengue
and/or
chikungunya,
it
said.

“In
fact,
recent
reports
have
suggested
it
to
be
Coxsackie
A
17
that
belongs
to
the
group
of
enteroviruses,”
the
advisory
added.

The
first
case
of
tomato
flu
was
reported
in
Kollam
district
of
Kerala
on
May
6
this
year
and
as
of
July
26,
more
than
82
children
aged
below
five
years
have
been
reported
to
have
contracted
the
infection
by
the
local
government
hospitals.
The
other
affected
areas
of
Kerala
are
Anchal,
Aryankavu,
and
Neduvathur.

This
endemic
viral
illness
triggered
an
alert
to
the
neighbouring
states
of
Tamil
Nadu
and
Karnataka.

Additionally,
26
children
(aged
one
to
nine
years)
have
been
reported
as
having
the
disease
in
Odisha
by
the
Regional
Medical
Research
Centre
in
Bhubaneswar.
Apart
from
Kerala,
Tamil
Nadu,
Haryana
and
Odisha,
no
other
region
in
India
has
reported
the
disease.

Tomato
flu
or
tomato
fever
is
a
viral
disease,
which
derives
its
name
from
its
main
symptom
—
the
tomato-shaped
blisters
on
several
body
parts,
said
the
advisory.
It
is
a
self-limiting
disease,
as
the
signs
and
symptoms
resolve
after
a
few
days.
The
blisters
start
as
red-colored
small
blisters
and
resemble
tomatoes
when
they
enlarge.

Primary
symptoms
observed
in
children
with
tomato
flu
are
similar
to
those
of
other
viral
infections,
which
include
fever,
rashes
and
pain
in
joints.
The
symptoms
also
include
fatigue,
nausea,
vomiting,
diarrhoea,
fever,
dehydration,
swelling
of
joints,
body
aches,
and
common
influenza-like
symptoms.
It
begins
with
mild
fever,
poor
appetite,
malaise,
and
often
a
sore
throat.
One
or
two
days
after
the
fever
begins,
small
red
spots
appear
which
changes
to
blister
and
then
to
ulcers.

The
sores
are
usually
located
on
tongue,
gums,
inside
of
the
cheeks,
palms
and
soles.
In
children
with
these
symptoms,
molecular
and
serological
tests
are
done
for
diagnosis
of
dengue,
chikungunya,
zika
virus,
varicella-zoster
virus,
and
herpes.
Once
these
viral
infections
are
ruled
out,
a
diagnosis
of
tomato
flu
is
considered,
read
the
advisory.
According
to
the
advisory:

“It
seems,
the
disease
is
a
clinical
variant
of
the
so-called
hand-foot-mouth
disease
(HFMD)
that
is
common
in
school
going
children.
Infants
and
young
children
are
also
prone
to
this
infection
through
use
of
nappies,
touching
unclean
surfaces
as
well
as
putting
things
directly
into
the
mouth.”
HFMD
occurs
mainly
in
children
under
10
years
of
age,
but
it
can
occur
in
adults
too.
There
are
no
disease-specific
medications
available,
the
advisory
said,
adding
that
treatment
is
similar
to
other
viral
infections
—
isolation,
rest,
plenty
of
fluids
and
hot
water
sponge
for
relief
of
irritation
and
rashes.

Supportive
therapy
of
paracetamol
for
fever
and
body
ache
and
other
symptomatic
treatments
are
required.
The
advisory
also
said
that
isolation
should
be
followed
for
five
to
seven
days
from
onset
of
any
symptom
to
prevent
the
spread
of
infection
to
other
children
or
adults.

The
advisory
highlighted
that
the
best
solution
for
prevention
is
maintenance
of
proper
hygiene
and
sanitization
of
the
surrounding
necessities
as
well
as
preventing
the
infected
child
from
sharing
toys,
clothes,
food,
with
other
non-infected
children.
Listing
out
the
preventive
measures,
the
advisory
said
one
should
avoid
immediate
contact
with
the
infected
person.

“Tell
your
child
not
to
hug
or
touch
children
having
fever
or
rash
symptoms.
You
should
encourage
your
children
to
stop
thumb
or
finger
sucking
habits.Encourage
the
child
to
use
a
handkerchief
in
case
of
running
nose
or
coughing,”
it
read.
The
advisory
also
stated
that
one
should
not
scratch
or
rub
the
blister.
It
also
said
that
children
should
be
kept
hydrated.
“Always
use
warm
water
to
clean
skin
or
for
bathing
the
child.

Take
a
nutrition-rich,
balanced
diet
to
boost
immunity.
It
is
essential
to
get
enough
rest
and
sleep
to
promote
healing,”
it
said.
Till
now,
no
antiviral
drugs
or
vaccines
are
available
for
the
treatment
or
prevention
of
tomato
flu.

Samples
from
throat
or
stool
may
be
sent
to
a
laboratory
to
test
for
isolating
the
virus
involved
in
causing
the
illness,
which
may
take
two
to
four
weeks
to
obtain
the
laboratory
results.
The
testing
should
be
done
for
investigation
of
an
outbreak,
so
that
preventive
measures
can
be
initiated,
the
advisory
said.