Theresa42
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From HPA (Health Protection Agency) News Last updated: 25 May 2006 Volume 16, No.21:
As of 15 May, there have been 48 cases of chikungunya in the United Kingdom in 2006 confirmed by the HPA Special Pathogens Reference Unit. Of those, nine have been additionally confirmed by developmental PCR and/or virus isolation, and the remainder were from suspect cases where there has been serological evidence (presence of IgG) of chikungunya infection. This compares to 19 suspect cases identified in 2005 and an average of six suspect cases identified each year between 1999 and 2004 (figure 1).
The majority of cases since 1999, for whom travel history was available, reported recent travel to Africa or Asia. Eleven of the 19 positive samples identified in 2005 were members of the Royal Marines who had acquired chikungunya on exercise in Senegal. In 2006, the majority of samples were from cases who had reported recent travel to Mauritius (32 samples), with other cases from the Seychelles (five), Madagascar (four), Africa unspecified (three), and one to the Antipodes. Five other positive samples had no travel history.
The recent increase in the number of positive cases compared to those reported in the CDR Weekly, 21 April 2006 [1], represents an increased awareness of the infection by clinicians seeing returning travellers, and also by travellers themselves who have been to the islands of the Indian Ocean, where large outbreaks have been occurring in recent months [2]. Cases associated with travel to the Indian Ocean islands have also been reported in other European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, and Norway [3].
Although the outbreaks in the islands of the Indian Ocean appear to be on the decline [4], an outbreak has, however, been increasing in India particularly in the states of Karnataka, Maharastra, and Andra Pradesh [5]. The latest reported case numbers are available in table 1. Cases have also been identified in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, although no data is currently available [4].
Although the outbreaks in the Indian Ocean are declining, the risk to non-immune travellers to chikungunya-endemic areas may exist for some time. Mauritius and the Seychelles are popular holiday destinations for British travellers, with around 7000 tourists per month [8] and so travellers must continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites particularly around dusk and dawn. Further information on bite avoidance can be found on the National Travel Health Network and Centre website at <http://www.nathnac.org/pro/factsheets/iba.htm>.
A new web page has been developed on the HPA website to increase public and health professional awareness of chikungunya and is available at <http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/chikungunya>.
Health professionals who suspect chikungunya in a returning traveller should send appropriate serum samples (paired if possible and with a detailed travel history) to the HPA Special Pathogens Reference Unit for investigation. More information about this is available at <http://www.hpa.org.uk/srmd/other_ref_labs/spru.htm>.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/CDR/archives/2006/cdr2106.pdf
As of 15 May, there have been 48 cases of chikungunya in the United Kingdom in 2006 confirmed by the HPA Special Pathogens Reference Unit. Of those, nine have been additionally confirmed by developmental PCR and/or virus isolation, and the remainder were from suspect cases where there has been serological evidence (presence of IgG) of chikungunya infection. This compares to 19 suspect cases identified in 2005 and an average of six suspect cases identified each year between 1999 and 2004 (figure 1).
The majority of cases since 1999, for whom travel history was available, reported recent travel to Africa or Asia. Eleven of the 19 positive samples identified in 2005 were members of the Royal Marines who had acquired chikungunya on exercise in Senegal. In 2006, the majority of samples were from cases who had reported recent travel to Mauritius (32 samples), with other cases from the Seychelles (five), Madagascar (four), Africa unspecified (three), and one to the Antipodes. Five other positive samples had no travel history.
The recent increase in the number of positive cases compared to those reported in the CDR Weekly, 21 April 2006 [1], represents an increased awareness of the infection by clinicians seeing returning travellers, and also by travellers themselves who have been to the islands of the Indian Ocean, where large outbreaks have been occurring in recent months [2]. Cases associated with travel to the Indian Ocean islands have also been reported in other European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, and Norway [3].
Although the outbreaks in the islands of the Indian Ocean appear to be on the decline [4], an outbreak has, however, been increasing in India particularly in the states of Karnataka, Maharastra, and Andra Pradesh [5]. The latest reported case numbers are available in table 1. Cases have also been identified in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, although no data is currently available [4].
Although the outbreaks in the Indian Ocean are declining, the risk to non-immune travellers to chikungunya-endemic areas may exist for some time. Mauritius and the Seychelles are popular holiday destinations for British travellers, with around 7000 tourists per month [8] and so travellers must continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites particularly around dusk and dawn. Further information on bite avoidance can be found on the National Travel Health Network and Centre website at <http://www.nathnac.org/pro/factsheets/iba.htm>.
A new web page has been developed on the HPA website to increase public and health professional awareness of chikungunya and is available at <http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/chikungunya>.
Health professionals who suspect chikungunya in a returning traveller should send appropriate serum samples (paired if possible and with a detailed travel history) to the HPA Special Pathogens Reference Unit for investigation. More information about this is available at <http://www.hpa.org.uk/srmd/other_ref_labs/spru.htm>.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/CDR/archives/2006/cdr2106.pdf