'Tomato flu' outbreak in India turned out to be HFMD

In 2012, a virus that causes HFMD may have killed dozens of kids in Asia

More than 50 young children in Cambodia died in spring 2012 for unknown reasons, but laboratory testing of samples available from a limited number of those children came back positive for Enterovirus 71. That virus, which can cause HFMD, is known to cause severe complications among some people who contract the disease. But health officials concluded that poor baseline health and then incorrect treatment using steroids helped exacerbate their condition, helping lead to the deaths.

There are more than 200,000 cases of HFMD annually, and there's no cure

The highly contagious disease is caused by several viruses and it primarily affects little kids. It causes red spots in and around the mouth, hands, feet, and even the buttocks. They often become painful water-filled blisters that can burst and cause small ulcers. Eating and drinking is uncomfortable for about a week so patients need to be careful not to become dehydrated.

At least 7 eastern college campuses experienced surprisingly large HFMD outbreaks in 2018

The outbreaks at the college level caused a particularly nasty set of symptoms, including the usual blisters in the mouth and on the hands and feet—but also affected the genitals. They surprised health officials who weren't sure why so many young adults were being sickened, including more than 120 kids at Johns Hopkins University. The disease also caused outbreaks at campuses including Princeton, Dartmouth, West Virginia University, Lehigh University, Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and Mars Hill University in North Carolina.

HFMD was first reported in 1957 in New Zealand

The first clinical report involved eight kids with the characteristic sores in New Zealand, and then in the years that followed there were dozens more cases there and also reports of outbreaks in England and Scotland, among other settings, including the US.

CDC does not require docs to report hand, foot, and mouth cases which makes tracking difficult

Mid-Atlantic states saw a surge of hand, foot, and mouth disease in 2025 for as-yet unknown reasons. Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey, reported elevated outbreak numbers in 2025 as compared to other recent years, but since the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not require mandatory reporting of positive HFMD cases—unlike strictly notifiable diseases like measles—it's hard to truly know the extent of the outbreaks and how significant the caseload is as compared to prior years across the region or country.

Hand, foot, and mouth is usually seasonal—peaking in summer—but not always

This painful, contagious disease most commonly has outbreaks in summer and early fall in the US because the enteroviruses that cause disease can most readily survive and be transmitted in warmer, humid conditions. It can still show up throughout the year, however.

The similarly named foot-and-mouth disease doesn't affect humans, unlike HFMD

Though the names are similar, foot-and-mouth disease—also known as hoof-and-mouth disease—exclusively affects animals, primarily those with hooves, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and even giraffes. It doesn't sicken humans, though both this disease and hand, foot, and mouth disease do come from the same family of viruses—Picornaviridae.

The virus was officially described for the first time in 1789

Michael Underwood, an English physician and surgeon, was the first to describe the disorder, noting it caused disability in the lower extremities in children. Large-scale outbreaks of the disease were not observed until the late 19th century.

Improved 19th-century sanitation meant kids encountered polio later, with worse results

Almost all children likely used to contract poliovirus, but scientists suggest that when infants encountered it very early in life—due to poorer conditions and hygiene—they still had some maternal protection from pregnancy or through breastmilk, so the symptoms were more flu-like.

The first major norovirus outbreak sickened half an elementary school

In 1968, 50% of an Ohio school got ill from this foodborne pathogen. The disease name is a nod to that original strain discovered in Norwalk, Ohio, when half the elementary school students became ill. Almost all kids reported nausea and vomiting. Everyone recovered.

In 2019, videos on TikTok convinced children they had Tourette syndrome

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, an "outbreak" of Tourette syndrome was attributed to videos from a German TikToker who documented his life with the condition. The children experiencing the symptoms all had the same tics, which experts say was a case of mass sociogenic illness, also referred to as mass hysteria.

A novel H1N1 influenza strain sparked a 2009 global pandemic

First detected in Mexico, the 2009 “swine flu” pandemic infected up to 1.4B people worldwide. While mortality rates were lower than earlier pandemics, the outbreak still caused more than 150,000 deaths.

Marburg virus, related to Ebola, is also extremely deadly

Discovered nine years before Ebola, Marburg is part of the same filovirus family. While this virus is less contagious, it can still be deadly. Currently, no vaccines exist against this disease. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Lengthy incubation periods are why it’s tough to link foodborne illness to specific foods

People may not get sick from a foodborne pathogen for several days after consuming it, making it a challenge to link the illness and its cause. Factors influencing when a person starts feeling sick—even as the pathogen is multiplying in the gut—include individual variations in immune systems and gut microbiomes, what other foods are in the person’s body, and how much of the pathogen was consumed.

Marburg virus, related to Ebola, is also extremely deadly, and has no available vaccine.

The coronavirus likely came from China’s wet markets

A wet market is a type of marketplace primarily selling fresh, perishable goods such as meat, fish, and produce, often in a non-supermarket environment. The term originated in Singapore during the 1970s, and the "wet" aspect refers to the wet floors resulting from the washing of stalls and the use of ice to keep food fresh. Such markets have been identified as a major source of zoonotic outbreaks, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health food broke into the mainstream by the 1980s

A 1984 New York Times story noted that Americans were eating less red meat than a decade prior, and that, in general, the country was “talking, thinking and worrying about what they eat to a degree unique in the nation's history.” The feature then details foods that were then considered bizarre: whole-grain muffins, hummus, and a variety of vegetarian dishes. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Typhoid smells like freshly baked brown bread

Certain ailments are associated with documented scents, including diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and typhoid. The skin of people with yellow fever, for example, can smell like a "butcher shop."

This real-time tracking of the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak in May 2026 offers a unique glimpse into the global reach of the outbreak and whether the virus sickened passengers and their communities around the world.

Unprecedented imaging of the Vibrio bacteria, published in 2026, may highlight new treatment targets

Researchers have produced the most detailed image ever of a key part of the Vibrio bacteria—the cause of cholera—known as the sheathed flagellum, which helps it move.

Climate change is influencing the spread of disease

Rising temperatures and water levels are forcing animals and pathogens beyond their typical boundaries. This article and its data visualizations explore the proliferation of climate-driven diseases.

A family's yearslong poisoning

Over 14 years, a southern Indian family slowly lost six members, several of whom were found foaming at their mouths. Upon the third death, a post-mortem examination was requested, revealing cyanide had been ingested, though it was ruled as self-inflicted. Several will edits and three deaths later, relatives turned a critical eye toward Joliyamma "Jolly" Joseph, who had married into the family and been present at each death.

COVID-19 vaccine breakthroughs are driving efforts toward a universal flu shot

mRNA and other technologies used for COVID-19 vaccines are being applied to influenza research. Scientists hope these advances will lead to a universal flu vaccine that protects against multiple strains and reduces the need for yearly shots.

People can—and have—contracted leprosy from armadillos

A 2011 study linked multiple human cases to the handling of armadillos or the consumption of their meat. The research couldn't document direct transmission, but did find that the animals and humans shared the same exact strain of the disease.

Hear what it's like to have malaria

In Kenya, as one malaria-sufferer explains, the disease is common enough that anytime a child has a fever or any sort of sickness families and the community will wonder if it's malaria. Sleeping under a mosquito net is recommended. Unfortunately, a gin and tonic will not keep malaria at bay.

Intriguing facts about tomatoes

This episode of the Lunchbox Envy podcast dives deep into the world of tomatoes. Why do they taste nicer in certain settings? Do they "scream"? What are their health benefits? All of these questions and more are answered about the luscious red fruit. Listen and reflect on the historical and cultural significance of the tomato.

Monosodium glutamate is a sodium salt form of a naturally occurring amino acid

Monosodium glutamate myths originate from a 1968 letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, in which unpleasant symptoms after eating Chinese food were dubbed Chinese restaurant syndrome without medical data. Subsequent studies show this savory flavor enhancer—found in tomatoes, mushrooms, and other foods—is safe in moderation.

How the most famous Ebola book, The Hot Zone, which sold 3.5 million copies and was translated into 30 languages, got aspects of the disease so wrong.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

See images of medical cases of firework injuries shared on this 'Instagram for doctors.' (Warning: Graphic content)

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

Poison ivy is in the same family as mangoes, cashews, and pistachios—and they all produce oily urushiol in their raw, unprocessed state—but they are typically prepared in ways to avoid causing human discomfort.

Volcanic activity may have triggered the Black Death by spewing gases that led to crop failures in Europe, thus forcing the import of grain ships with plague-infested fleas.

In 2019, a laptop loaded with six of the worst malware in history and described as 'an exhibit of historical weaponry' sold for $1.3M.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Some researchers have labeled nomophobia, the fear of being without your phone, as 'the phobia of the 21st century.'

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

In 2018, 26-year-old missionary John Allen Chau was killed by tribesmen after attempting to reach and evangelize on India's isolated North Sentinel Island

In 2009, the nation was gripped by the story of a missing young boy who was believed to be floating over Colorado in a homemade balloon, until it was revealed that he was at home the whole time.

In recent years a child anxiety expert has created and tested a novel phobia and anxiety treatment approach for children, focused on changing how parents respond to the fears.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

The Dracula character, now seen as the vampire archetype, was inspired by a seafood-induced nightmare its creator experienced.

Mid-century modern graphic designers, known for their bright colors and bold lines in advertising, also found success with children's books.

El Niño, Spanish for 'the boy,' was named after Jesus Christ because the phenomenon resembled the weather changes observed around Christmastime.

The name 'Silicon Valley' arose from the founding of Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in Fairchild Semiconductor in 1956-57, founded near Stanford University in Palo Alto

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Some Pokémon have been named after real and fictional organisms, while some real-world species have been named after Pokémon, such as Chilicola charizard and Binburrum zapdos.