What Is ‘Tomato Fever’ Attacking Only Kids Below The Age Of 5 Years?

What is Tomato flu?

Tomato flu also known as Tomato fever, is a very common kind of fever where children below five years of age get infected.

Mostly the infected child experience rashes and skin irritation and dehydration. This causes blisters on several parts of the body. The name Tomato flu or Tomato fever is derived from the fact that these blisters are usually round in shape and red in colour.

Only parts of Kollam in Kerala  are experiencing this kind of flu, but the state health officials warned it could spread to other regions also.

It has still not been confirmed whether this unidentified Tomato Fever is a viral fever or an aftereffect of chikungunya or dengue fever.

What are symptoms of Tomato flu?

Children usually experience rashes and skin irritation and dehydration. Besides, children also feel tiredness, their colour of hands and legs change, they feel joint pain, feel cramps in stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, high fever and body aches.

The infected child suffers from irritation in the mouth due to dehydration. Discolouration of the hands, knees, buttocks are some other symptoms. Some patients also claim that worms come out of the boils that develop on the rashes.

Is tomato flu a contagious infection?

Yes. Tomato flu is a contagious disease that spreads through direct contact. It is common in school-going children due to lack of hygiene maintenance and often putting hands in their mouths. The infectious agents can remain in a child’s body for many weeks after the infection subside, making them favorable carriers.

Adults can also transmit the virus while handling children without showing any signs and symptoms of the disease.

Preventive measures for Tomato flu

• Consult a doctor if your child shows any of the above symptoms.
• Don’t allow children to scratch their blisters.
• Provide children with boiled water and allow them to rest.
• Maintain proper hygiene of children.
• Take bath using warm water.
• Avoid close contact with the infected person.