Tomato Flu Or Monkeypox? Here’s How To Tell Them Apart
Tomato flu or monkeypox: Tomato flu is only reported in children
The world has been taken by storm since cases of tomato flu, monkeypox, Covid-19, influenza, dengue fever and many other diseases are showing a sudden surge. Tomato flu and monkeypox in particular have caught the attention of many this year.
The first step to prevention, as well as treatment, is to understand what condition you have. In this article, we’ll help you distinguish between tomato flu and monkeypox. We list their origin, symptoms, prevention and treatment.
tomato flu
What is the origin?
Tomato flu, some types of hand, foot and mouth disease, cases have been found in Kerala and Odisha. The name tomato flu comes from the red rashes and blisters that the flu can cause, similar to what tomatoes look like. It is a contagious, self-limiting disease and there is no specific drug to treat it.
What Causes Tomato Flu?
A virus causes tomato flu, but the exact cause is still unknown. It is a virus that can be transmitted from infected children to healthy children. Playing, sitting nearby, and touching can spread this disease.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms recorded so far are considered to be similar to those of Chikungunya. Symptoms children experience include:
- Tomato-like red blisters
- skin rashes
- High fever
- swelling in the joints
- body ache
- dehydration
- lethargy
monkey pox
What is the origin?
Monkeypox, a viral zoonosis, is clinically less serious than smallpox (a virus that spreads from animals to humans). It has symptoms similar to smallpox symptoms. Since smallpox was eradicated in 1980 and smallpox immunizations were subsequently phased out, monkeypox has replaced smallpox as the major public health orthopox virus. Affecting primarily central and western Africa, monkeypox has moved to urban areas and is commonly observed near tropical rainforests. Animals are hosted by a variety of rodent species and non-human primates.
What causes monkeypox?
Numerous animal species have been identified as susceptible to the monkeypox virus. These include primate species, dormouse, rope and tree squirrels, Gambian opossums and other species. The natural history of the monkeypox virus is still unknown, and more research is needed to identify the exact reservoir or reservoirs and to understand how the virus spreads in the wild.
Direct contact with an infected animal, person, or contaminated object can result in transmission of monkeypox to humans. The monkeypox virus spreads between people through respiratory secretions, sexual contact, and body fluids. Handling recently contaminated items such as bedding, clothing and other items belonging to sick people or animals.
What are the symptoms?
It can take days or even weeks after exposure before you notice any symptoms. Early signs of monkeypox are flu-like symptoms such as:
- chills
- Lymph nodes with swelling
- headache
- Fever
- pain in the muscles
- lethargy
How to differentiate?
Make sure you understand these differences based on origin and symptoms to get a better idea of the two. Make sure you take the right preventive measures to reduce your risk of contracting these.
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides general information only. It in no way replaces a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your GP for more information. NDTV takes no responsibility for this information.