Med India.net chikungunya overview

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Chikungunya-Overview
http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/chikungunya-overview.htm​

Chikungunya is a relatively a rare viral fever that is caused by the bite of a common mosquito. Outbreaks have taken place in many tropical countries.

Recently it has resurfaced in many parts of South India.

It causes high fever with sometimes joint pain and rashes on the body.

It is important to exclude other conditions like Dengue before diagnosing it.

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Chikungunya​

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Overview

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History

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Causes

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Symptoms

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Diagnosis

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Treatment

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Prevention

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Prognosis

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FAQs

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Reference
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Re: Med India.net chikungunya History

Re: Med India.net chikungunya History

Chikungunya-History
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http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/chikungunya-history.htm

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The name of this disease ?Chikungunya? is derived from the Makonde word that means -"that which bends up" and is in reference to the stooped posture that develops due to the arthritic symptoms of the disease.

The first outbreak of the disease was seen in the year 1952, in the Makonde plateau, along the border between Tanzania and Mozambique.

The disease was first described by Marion Robinson and W.H.R. Lumsden in 1955 (1,2).

The first outbreak in India?s was in the year 1963, in Calcutta. Since the first reported case in India in 1963 there have been sporadic outbreaks in varies parts of India.

However recently reports have been shown the re-emergence of the disease in India in 2005, specially in the southern states. Since the outbreak in December 2005 there have been more that 1,80,000 reported cases of Chikungunya in India.

Beginning of 2006 between February to March there have been more than 2000 cases reported in Maharashtra .

Besides India, outbreaks have also been reported in Central & South Africa, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.

http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/chikungunya-history.htm

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya Causes

Re: Med India.net chikungunya Causes

Chikungunya Causes

Chikungunya Virus, also known as Buggy Creek Virus, is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito bites. The virus belongs to the Family -Togoviridae, and the Genus is Alpha virus. Till date there has been no reported direct person-to-person spread.

The mosquitoes that cause infection due to the Chikungunya virus in Africa and Asia are the same mosquitoes that cause yellow fever and dengue fever in many parts of the world. Hence many parts of the world could be affected by the Chikungunya virus.

Genetic analysis of the Chiungunya viruses reveal that there are two distinct types of the virus - one contains all isolates from western Africa and the second comprising all southern and East African strains, as well as isolates from Asia (3).

So far there is no evidence to indicate that there is a person-to-person transmission of the disease.

http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/chikungunya-causes.htm

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya overview

Chikungunya-Symptoms

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The incubation period is usually 1-12 days.

This means the disease manifests 1 to 12 days after the bite of the mosquito.

The symptoms and signs include the following;

Fever (> 40 C, 104 F)

Headache

Joint pain (or arthralgia)

Arthritis affecting multiple joints that can be debilitating.

Swelling of Joints

Rash (May occur rarely)

Sometimes there maybe infection of the conjunctiva of the eye and some photophobia.

Chills

Nausea

Vomiting

Bleeding or hemorrhage (May occur rarely).

In one study over 12% of patients who contract Chikungunya virus infection develop chronic joint symptoms(4)

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya Diagnosis

Re: Med India.net chikungunya Diagnosis

Chikungunya-Diagnosis

http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/chikungunya-diagnosis.htm

Some typical clinical symptoms

Routine blood count to look at platelets as sometimes the platelet count may fall.

Blood Serology For detection of antigens or antibiotics .

IgM capture ELISA To help distinguish the disease from dengue fever.

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya Treatment

Re: Med India.net chikungunya Treatment

Chikungunya-Treatment

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Supportive care and rest

There has been no effective vaccine developed to prevent Chikungunya. Vaccine trials were carried out in 2000,but funding for the project was discontinued.

To relieve symptoms of fever and joint pain the drug commonly used is Paracetamol.

Rest is indicated during acute joint symptoms. Movement and mild exercise may improve stiffness and morning joint pains.

In unresolved arthritis that does not respond to aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Chloroquine Phosphate (250 mg/day) has given some promising results.

Some studies have also shown that Chloroquine has some antiviral activity against this virus. However these are not conclusive studies (5).

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya Prevention

Re: Med India.net chikungunya Prevention

Chikungunya-Prevention

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Elimination of stagnant water at home, schools and work place to avoid breeding of mosquitoes.

Using insect repellents over the exposed parts of the body.

Using mosquito screens or nets in non - Air-conditioned rooms.

Wearing the long sleeved clothes like long trousers of a light shade for protection against mosquitoes

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya Prognosis

Re: Med India.net chikungunya Prognosis

Chikungunya Prognosis

http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/chikungunya-prognosis.htm

Most patients recover fully from Chikungunya virus infection. They get better after a few days, however sometimes joint pain can persist for a longer period after the other symptoms have disappeared.

Some deaths have been reported in a few countries but this may have been due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics and anti inflammatory drugs. As this virus can cause decreased platelets and result in bleeding one has to be careful that the drugs that are used do not further drop the platelets or cause bleeding due to gastric inflammation and erosions or ulcers(e.g. effect of Aspirin).

 

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Re: Med India.net chikungunya References

Re: Med India.net chikungunya References

Chikungunya-Reference

Lumsden. W. H. R. An Epidemic of Virus Disease in Southern Province, Tanganyika Territory, in 1952-53;II. General Description and Epidemiology," in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 49, Number 1, January 1955. Download original from - http://research.yale.edu /swahili/serve_ articles /chikungunya _general _description_and_epidemiology.pdf

2. Robinson M. An Epidemic of Virus Disease in Southern Province, Tanganyika Territory,in 1952-53; I.Clinical Features," in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 49, Number 1,January 1955. Download original from - http://research.yale.edu/swahili/ serve_articles/chikungunya_ clinical_features.pdf

3, Powers AM, Brault AC, Tesh RB, Weaver SC. Re-emergence of Chikungunya and O'nyong-nyong viruses: evidence for distinct geographical lineages and distant

4. University of Malaya:
http://www.vadscorner.com/alphaviruses.html

5. http://agmed.sante.gouv.fr/pdf/
10/chicungu.pdf (Rough translation):


Submitted by: Ms. Vanessa

Medically checked and edited by: Dr.S.Shroff