Tomato Flu: Centre releases advisory to states, says 'not related to SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox, dengue'

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Tomato Flu news: Addressing the HFMD (Hand Foot & Mouth Disease), commonly known as Tomato Flu, the Centre issued an advisory to states on Tuesday. It also said that Tomato Flu is not related to 'SARS-CoV-2', monkeypox, dengue and/or chikungunya. However, the virus shows symptoms similar to other viral infections (fever, fatigue, body aches & rashes on the skin). Centre said that it's a self-limiting illness targeting mostly young children aged 1-10 years and immune-compromised adults and no specific drug exists to treat it.

Tomato Flu was first identified in Kollam, Kerala on May 6, 2022. As of July 26, over 82 children younger than 5 yrs with the infection have been reported by local govt hospitals. Additionally, 26 children (aged 1-9yrs) were reported as having the disease in Odisha by RMRC Bhubaneswar.

Here are the guidelines released for states: 

1. Isolation should be followed for 5-7 days from the onset of any symptom to prevent the spread of Tomato viral infection to other children or adults. 
2. The best solution for prevention is the maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitization of the surrounding necessities and environment as well as preventing the infected child from sharing toys, clothes, food, or other items with other non-infected children.
3. Further follow-up and monitoring for serious outcomes and sequelae are needed to better understand the need for potential treatments. As yet, no antiviral drugs or vaccines are available for the treatment or prevention of tomato flu. 
4. Samples from the throat or stool may be sent to a laboratory to test for isolating the virus involved in causing the illness, which may take 2-4 weeks to obtain the laboratory results. 
5. The testing should be done for the investigation of an outbreak so that preventive measures can be initiated.
6. Throat or nasopharyngeal samples can be collected within 48 hours of illness. Faecal samples should be collected within 48 hours of illness. 

Symptoms of Tomato virus

HFMD or Tomato Flu is characterized by fever, sores in the mouth, and a skin rash. 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.

Also Read: Tomato Flu In India: Know its dangerous symptoms similar to Covid19

Tomato Flu is a self-limiting infectious disease as the signs and symptoms resolve after a few days. It seems the disease is a clinical variant of the so-called hand-foot-mouth disease that is common in school-going children. Infants and young children are also prone to this infection through the use of nappies, touching unclean surfaces as well as putting things directly into the mouth.

Can Tomato Virus occur in adults too?

HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years of age, but it can occur in adults too. There are no disease-specific medications available. Treatment is similar to other viral infections i.e. isolation, rest, plenty of fluids and a hot water sponge for relief of irritation and rashes. Supportive therapy of paracetamol for fever and body ache and other symptomatic treatments are required. This endemic viral illness triggered an alert in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Additionally, 26 children (aged 1-9 years) have been reported as having the disease in Odisha by the Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar. To date, apart from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Odisha, no other regions in India have reported the disease in their State/UT by the virus.

Also Read: Tomato Flu: All about the rare viral disease affecting children in India; Know symptoms & treatment