Hand, Foot And Mouth Disease In Kolkata: Doctors Advise Caution
COVID-19 cases have dropped significantly in India, but the country is grabbling with yet another health concern: hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), and tomato flu, described as a clinical variant of the HFMD. So far, tomato flu cases have been reported from at least four Indian states, which are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Odisha. This viral infection causes tomato-shaped red blisters on various parts of the body.
In a joint statement, a group of Indian doctors has raised concern about the rising cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) among school-age children during this monsoon season.
Dr Suresh Birajdar, Neonatologist & Paediatrician, Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, pointed out their hospital has seen an increased number of HFMD cases this year compared to the last three years. The infection is reported commonly in toddlers and preschool-age children, in both boys and girls.
Earlier, children attending daycare and playgroups were affected with HFMD more as they have increased contact with each other in a closed environment. In the current phase, however, this disease is seen in all young children regardless of whether they are attending preschool or not, Dr Birajdar added.
According to doctors, HMFD is a highly contagious viral disease that is common in infants and children. Viruses from the Enterovirus genus, most commonly the coxsackievirus, are responsible for the disease.
Dr Sandeep Sawant Consultant & Head of Pediatric Department, Medicover Hospital, Navi Mumbai, explained, "Hand Foot Mouth Disease is a common viral infection caused mostly by Coxsackievirus A6 and A16, enterovirus 71 that tends to spread through skin-to-skin skin contact, cough, and sneezing when the person gets infected. The virus can cause rashes on the child's hands, foot, and mouth and oral ulcers."
Dr Birajdar also added that this virus spreads from the nose and throat discharges, and even from the saliva of an infected child and after touching contaminated surfaces or things.
A person infected with the hand, foot, and mouth disease may experience symptoms such as fever, sore throat, malaise, loss of appetite, red blister-like lesions around or inside the mouth, palms, soles, hands, feet, and sometimes buttocks, headache, and irritability.
Why HFMD cases peak during monsoon? This is because there is an increased spread of the virus during this weather, said Dr Birajdar.
Maintaining good personal hygiene is crucial to protect children from this infection, and timely medical attention can help infected people to manage the pain that arises through this condition, the doctors stated.
The duration of the hand-foot mouth disease is around a week, and the infected child may find difficulty swallowing food due to painful blisters on the mouth, said Dr Sawant.
Treatment of the disease is symptomatic like analgesic, skin soothing agents for rashes, and antiallergic if itching, he added.
The doctors ask parents not to get panic if they notice the symptoms in their child, and report to the doctor without any delay.
