What is chikungunya?
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease very similar to dengue. The mosquitoes which spread it are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes acquire the virus when they feed on an infected person. The virus spreads in the system of the mosquito and reaches its salivary glands. Soon after, when the mosquito feeds on a person, it infects him.
The infection lasts for 2 to 12 days.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, you need to consult your family physician or a general physician immediately:
- continuous high fever (above 38.5 degrees Celsius)
- debilitating joint pain and redness or soreness in the joint areas
- rashes on the skin
- nausea
- vomiting
- sensitivity to light
- headache
How does chikungunya occur?
Once the Aedes mosquito bites a person suffering from chikungunya, the chikungunya virus enters the mosquito’s system. After getting infected, when the mosquito feeds on another person, the virus gets transmitted to the person.
The virus travels through his body and spreads to various glands in the body. It enters the bloodstream and causes inflammation of the blood vessels, causing them to swell and leak.
The chikungunya virus usually targets joints, muscles, skin, and the liver, kidneys, eyes, and central nervous system less frequently.
The chikungunya virus mainly infects the muscle cells of the body. Once it infects a muscle cell, it keeps reproducing till the cell dies, and then the viruses move onto a new cell.
You may experience severe muscle pains, joint pains, fever, and rash if you contract this disease.
What are the symptoms of chikungunya? How is chikungunya diagnosed?
The symptoms of chikungunya include:
- High fever
- Severe muscle and joint pain
- Severe headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rash on the skin due to damaged blood vessels
- Enlarged painful lymph node in the neck
- Sore throat
- Painful abdominal cramps
- Cold fingers and toes
- Dizziness
- Constipation
Chikungunya symptoms can often be confused with the symptoms of dengue. In fact, it is said dengue plus arthritis is equal to chikungunya. However, certain symptoms such as debilitating joint pains are unique only to chikungunya.
In dengue, the muscle pain is very noticeable.
Diagnosis
A special blood test known as the ELISA blood test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) is done to confirm the presence of the chikungunya virus in a patient. During the test, if IgM antibodies are found (which can last up to one year in the blood), it confirms the presence of the chikungunya virus in the body.
These antibodies reveal the presence of the chikungunya virus.
What are the complications of chikungunya?
Some complications of chikungunya include:
- neurological imbalances
- seizures
- myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle
- ocular disease or eye disease (uveitis, retinitis)
- jaundice caused by liver damage
- acute renal disease when kidneys get affected
- severe bullous lesions
- neurological diseases, such as meningoencephalitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, myelitis, or cranial nerve palsies
What is the treatment for chikungunya?
Chikungunya is a self-remitting illness. There is no particular medication or treatment available for chikungunya.
The doctor may advise you to take plenty of rest, fluids and provide you painkillers. Even while prescribing painkillers, paracetamol is recommended for treating the pain and fever. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are never prescribed.
The usual treatment for the severe form of chikungunya consists of:
- Providing Intravenous (IV) fluid and electrolyte replacement
- Monitoring blood pressure
- Blood transfusion to replace blood loss, if any
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