Chikungunya overview
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Chikungunya Microchapters |
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Chikungunya overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Chikungunya overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Chikungunya is a relatively rare form of viral fever caused by an alphavirus that is spread by mosquito bites from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, though recent research by the Pasteur Institute in Paris claims the virus has suffered a mutation that enables it to be transmitted by Aedes albopictus (Tiger mosquito).[1] This was the cause of the plague in the Indian Ocean and a threat to the Mediterranean coast at present, requiring urgent meetings of health officials in the region.
Historical Perspective
The name chikungunya is derived from the Makonde word meaning "that which bends up" in reference to the stooped posture developed as a result of the arthritic symptoms of the disease. The disease was first described by Marion Robinson in 1955, following an outbreak on the Makonde Plateau, along the border between Tanganyika and Mozambique, in 1952. Chikungunya is closely related to O'nyong'nyong virus.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Chikungunya was first described in Tanzania, Africa in 1952. Chikungunya outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In late 2013, the first local transmission of chikungunya virus in the Americas was identified in Caribbean countries and territories. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with the virus and are spreading it to people.
Diagnosis
Symptoms
The common symptoms of chikungunya include fever, petechial or maculopapular rash and arthralgia or arthritis affecting multiple joints.
Treatment
Medical Therapy
There is no specific antiviral therapy and the treatment is symptomatic. Assess hydration and hemodynamic status and provide supportive care as needed
Prevention
- No vaccine exists to prevent chikungunya virus infection or disease.
- Avoiding mosquito bites is the best way to prevent chikungunya virus infection.
- The mosquitoes that spread the chikungunya virus bite mostly during the daytime.
- The most effective means of prevention are those that protect against any contact with the disease-carrying mosquitoes. These include using insect repellent containing DEET or permethrin, wearing long sleeves and trousers (pants), and securing screens on windows and doors. It's also important to empty stagnant water where mosquitoes breed.ed.
References
- ↑ Martin E (2007). "EPIDEMIOLOGY:
Tropical Disease Follows Mosquitoes to Europe". Science. 317 (5844): 1485. doi:10.1126/science.317.5844.1485a. line feed character in
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