Chikungunya

Chikungunya
Rash from chikungunya[1][2]
Pronunciation
SpecialtyInfectious disease
SymptomsFever, joint pain[4]
ComplicationsLong term joint pain[4]
Usual onset2 to 14 days after exposure[5]
DurationUsually less than a week[4]
Causeschikungunya virus (CHIKV) spread by mosquitoes[5]
Diagnostic methodBlood test for viral RNA or antibodies[5]
Differential diagnosisDengue fever, Zika fever[5]
PreventionMosquito control, avoidance of bites[6]
TreatmentSupportive care[5]
PrognosisRisk of death ~ 1 in 1,000[6]
Frequency> 1 million (2014)[5]

Chikungunya is an infection caused by the Alphavirus chikungunya (CHIKV).[7][8][5] The disease was first identified in 1952 in Tanzania and named based on the Kimakonde words for "to become contorted".[5]

Symptoms include fever and joint pain.[4] These typically occur two to twelve days after exposure.[5] Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and a rash.[4] Symptoms usually improve within a week; however, occasionally the joint pain may last for months or years.[4][9] The risk of death is around 1 in 1,000.[6] The very young, old, and those with other health problems are at risk of more severe disease.[4]

The virus is spread between people by two types of mosquitos: Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti,[5] which mainly bite during the day.[10] The virus may circulate within a number of animals, including birds and rodents.[5] Diagnosis is done by either testing the blood for viral RNA or antibodies to the virus.[5] The symptoms can be mistaken for those of dengue fever and Zika fever.[5] It is believed most people become immune after a single infection.[4]

The best means of prevention are overall mosquito control and the avoidance of bites in areas where the disease is common.[6] This may be partly achieved by decreasing mosquitoes' access to water, as well as the use of insect repellent and mosquito nets. In November 2023 the USFDA approved an adults-only vaccine (Ixchiq) for prevention of the disease.[11] Once infected and symptomatic, recommendations to patients should include rest, fluids, and medications to help with fever and joint pain.[4][5]

In 2014, more than a million suspected cases occurred globally.[5] While the disease is endemic in Africa and Asia, outbreaks have been reported in Europe and the Americas since the 2000s;[5] in 2014, an outbreak was reported in Florida in the continental United States, but as of 2016 there were no further locally-acquired cases.[12][13]

  1. ^ "Definition of CHIKUNGUNYA". www.merriam-webster.com. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  2. ^ CDC (20 May 2024). "Chikungunya in the United States". Chikungunya Virus. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  3. ^ "chikungunya". Oxford Learner's Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Chikungunya Virus Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment". CDC. 6 April 2016. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Chikungunya Fact sheet". WHO. April 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Caglioti C, Lalle E, Castilletti C, Carletti F, Capobianchi MR, Bordi L (July 2013). "Chikungunya virus infection: an overview". The New Microbiologica. 36 (3): 211–27. PMID 23912863.
  7. ^ "Genus: Alphavirus | ICTV". ictv.global. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  8. ^ Kril, Vasiliya; Aïqui-Reboul-Paviet, Olivier; Briant, Laurence; Amara, Ali (29 September 2021). "New Insights into Chikungunya Virus Infection and Pathogenesis". Annual Review of Virology. 8 (1): 327–347. doi:10.1146/annurev-virology-091919-102021. ISSN 2327-056X. PMID 34255544.
  9. ^ van Aalst M, Nelen CM, Goorhuis A, Stijnis C, Grobusch MP (January 2017). "Long-term sequelae of chikungunya virus disease: A systematic review". Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 15: 8–22. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2017.01.004. PMID 28163198.
  10. ^ "Prevention". CDC. 26 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  11. ^ "FDA Approval". FDA. 9 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  12. ^ Staples JE, Fischer M (September 2014). "Chikungunya virus in the Americas--what a vectorborne pathogen can do". The New England Journal of Medicine. 371 (10): 887–9. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1407698. PMC 4624217. PMID 25184860.
  13. ^ "2016 provisional data for the United States". CDC. 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.