At Least 82 Children Diagnosed With 'Tomato Flu' - Here's What Experts Know

Health experts are currently monitoring the outbreak of a "highly infectious" disease dubbed as the "tomato flu."

The mysterious disease was initially identified in the Kollam district of Kerala, India in May and has since spread to two other regions, with more than 82 children under the age of 5 having been diagnosed since July 26, according to the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Scientists have said that the disease appears to be a non-life threatening variant of hand, foot and mouth disease, however, the claims have not yet been confirmed as they continue to work toward identifying exactly what the virus is.

Symptoms are reported to be similar to dengue fever and chikungunya virus, both of which are common to the areas in India currently facing outbreaks, but the recent cases don't appear to be either disease, according to Vasso Apostolopoulous of Victoria University, who leads the university's immunology and translation group and co-authored the Lancet report.

"Similarly, it also shares symptoms with hand, foot and mouth disease," Professor Apostolopoulos said via the Australian Broadcasting Company.

The initial two cases of "tomato flu" are reported to have been spread through mosquitos, according to researchers.

Hand, foot and mouth disease commonly affects children between the ages of 1 and 5 years old -- as well as immunocompromised adults -- and children are believed to be at an increased risk of exposure to the "tomato virus."

Professor Apostolopoulos described the recent "tomato flu" cases as being mild and going away on their own over time.

"But most people who have had this infection are young, and we don't really know what might happen in an immunocompromised person or if it spreads to elderly people," Apostolopoulos said via the Australian Broadcasting Company.