All you need to know about the Tomato virus; nothing to panic about the vegetable

HYDERABAD: Are you one of those being plagued with news and updates of this new virus-causing ‘Tomato flu/fever’ and find them more confusing than clear? We’ve got your back as we speak to doctors who assure you that it doesn’t deserve the kind of apprehensions its news has been garnering.

“Although the tomato flu virus seems to be showing symptoms similar to those of Covid-19 (both are associated with fever, fatigue, and body aches initially, and some patients with Covid also report rashes on the skin), the virus is not related to SARS-CoV-2. Tomato flu could be an after-effect of chikungunya or dengue fever in children rather than a viral infection. The virus could also be a new variant of the viral hand, foot, and mouth disease, a common infectious disease targeting mostly children aged 1-5 years and immunocompromised adults,” says Dr G Navodaya, consultant, general medicine, Care Hospitals, Banjara Hills.

Tomato flu gained its name based on the eruption of red and painful blisters throughout the body that gradually grows to the size of a tomato, the doc tells CE.“These blisters resemble those seen with the monkeypox virus in young individuals. Rashes also appear on the skin with tomato flu which leads to skin irritation. As with other viral infections, further symptoms include, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, dehydration, swelling of joints, body aches, and common influenza-like symptoms, which are similar to those manifested in dengue,” he shares adding that in children with these symptoms, molecular and serological tests are done for the diagnosis of dengue, chikungunya, zika virus, varicella-zoster virus, and herpes once these viral infections are ruled out, contraction of tomato virus is confirmed.

Similar to other types of influenza, tomato flu is very contagious. Hence, it is mandatory to follow careful isolation of confirmed or suspected cases and other precautionary steps to prevent the outbreak of the tomato flu virus from Kerala to other parts of India.

“Isolation should be followed for 5-7 days from symptom onset to prevent the spread of infection to other children or adults. The best solution for prevention is the maintenance of proper hygiene and sanitisation 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.

Dr Jagadeesh V, senior consultant physician,  at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad, says that the good news about tomato flu is that it is a self-limited one. He explains, “This means that the disease resolves spontaneously, with or without specific treatment. Hydration and paracetamol are the only treatment. Fatalities and complications are very rare, almost nil unless it’s a case of poor immunity. Caused by a virus called coxsackie virus, tomato flu is no new disease and has been there for ages.”

Dr C Suman Kumar, medical director & paediatrician, Ankura Hospital for Women & Children in Kukatpally, says that there are no specific diagnostic tests for tomato flu as a complete blood picture resembles regular viral infection with low Leukocyte count(WBC) and platelet count on the lower side of the normal range. He adds that paracetamol, good fluids, and tepid sponging should be enough.