Tomato Flu: What is it and Who is at Risk?

 ISLAMABAD,( Online)- Ever since COVID- 19 was declared a global epidemic, people have been more concerned than ever about implicit complaint pitfalls. 

 

 The newest of these is called “ tomato flu, ” and has affected over 100 children in India, according to a recent correspondence in The LancetTrusted Source. 

The authors report that tomato flu, probably a viral complaint, was first linked in the Kollam quarter of Kerala, India on May 6, 2022. 

 

 According to The Lancet, the complaint is considerednon-life-threatening and resolves on its own in time. 

The symptoms of tomato flu 

 

 The Lancet reports that primary symptoms observed in infected children act those of chikungunyaTrusted Source, a mosquito- borne illness, and include high fever, rashes, and violent pain in joints. 

 Analogous to numerous viral infections, other symptoms include, fatigue, nausea, puking, diarrhea, fever, dehumidification, swelling of joints, body pangs, and common flu- suchlike symptoms, which act those of dengueTrusted Source – another complaint spread by mosquitoes. 

 

 “ Transmission is likely to be through close contact, ” Hannah Newman, MPH, director of infection forestallment at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told Healthline. 

“ The contagion has been named tomato flu on the base of the red, painful pocks it causes that can mimic the look and size of a tomato, ” Newman explained. 

 

 She said while the complaint is allowed

 to benon-life threatening, it can beget an uncomfortable rash, complications, and common pain. Beget is still unknown 

“ We do n’t know exactly what’s causing the complaint, ” admitted Robert Glatter, MD, an ER croaker

 at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “ But it’s possible that it may be a variant of hand bottom and mouth complaint, or the after- effect of chikungunya or dengue fever, both mosquito- borne conditions. ” 

 

 Authors of the Lancet correspondence theorize that this complaint might indeed be a new type of hand, bottom, and mouth complaint. Hand bottom and mouth complaint is the result of an enterovirusTrusted Source infection, of which, one of the subtypes includes the coxsackievirus, which also causes a fester- suchlike rash. 

Since it’s a contagious contagion, there's eventuality for this complaint to spread beyond India, advised Newman. 

 

 analogous to what happed with COVID- 19 and monkeypox, routine air trip could carry a new pathogen nearly anywhere, and it might start affecting aged individualities. 

“ Given the parallels to hand, bottom, and mouth complaint, if the outbreak of tomato flu in children isn't controlled and averted, transmission might lead to serious consequences by spreading in grown-ups as well, ” the correspondence authors wroteTrusted Source. 

 

 Transmitted via close contact and shells 

“ It’s also believed to spread by contact with an infected person’s apparel, coverlet, apkins, wastes, toys, books or other porous shells, analogous to Monkeypox, ” said Glatter. 

 

 He added that while the tomato flu contagion may be a variant or “ after- effect ” of hand bottom and mouth complaint, there's no substantiation the complaint is airborne or indeed drop spread grounded on the Lancet report. 

Glatter also believes chikungunya and dengue, both aboriginal to the region, could place both aged grown-ups and youthful children at threat for the tomato contagion. 

 

 “ Because their vulnerable systems may not be as robust after recovering from these mosquito- borne contagions, ” he said. 

Glatter verified that there's presently no vaccine or antiviral drug available to treat this complaint. still, much can be done to relieve someone’s discomfort until the infection resolves. 

 

 “ probative care including acetaminophen for fever and pangs, along with hydration will help cases feel more, ” advised Glatter. “ Warm compresses may help to palliate some of the discomfort associated with the painful nature of the rash. ” 

What we know about precluding the complaint 

 

 Newman said ways to help tomato flu include quick insulation of infected cases and proper hand hygiene. 

She emphasized performing “ environmental disinfection ” of shells, toys, clothes, and other particulars used by sick individualities. 

 

 “ And limiting the sharing of these particulars between other children and grown-ups, ” she added. 

 According to Glatter, what’s concerning is that we do n’t know how aged cases and those who are immunocompromised will do if they develop the complaint. 

 

 “ That said, at this time the threat of spread in the population is relatively low, and people in the US shouldn't be exorbitantly concerned, ” he continued. 

Glatter advised that on a global position, “ alert is consummate ” given what we've just been through with COVID- 19, and now monkeypox. 

 

 “ The precedence now is to determine whether the tomato contagion is indeed a contagion, not to mention a new contagion, ” he said. “ Or simply a sequela( consequence) of a recent previous infection with a preliminarily well- known and proved contagion. ”