Chikungunya (pronunciation: \chik-en-gun-ye) virus is transmitted to people by mosquitoes. The name “chikungunya” derives from a word in the Kimakonde language, meaning “to become contorted”, and describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain (arthralgia). Scientists believe the virus originated in 1952 in southern Tanzania at a place called Makonde Plateau. This is a border area between Tanzania and Mozambique. Chimpanzees or other animals were probably first infected by Chikungunya. Outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In late 2013, chikungunya virus was found for the first time in the Americas on islands in the Caribbean. There is a risk that the virus will be imported to new areas by infected travelers. The virus is transmitted from human to human by the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Most commonly, the mosquitoes involved are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, two species which can also transmit other mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue.
After the bite of an infected mosquito, onset of illness occurs usually between 4 and 8 days but can range from 2 to 12 days. Newborns exposed during delivery, people 65 and older, and people with medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease are particularly vulnerable to infection.
Symptoms
- Fever and joint pain.
- Headache, muscle pain, joint swelling
- Rash
Chikungunya disease does not often result in death, but the symptoms can be severe and disabling. Most patients feel better within a week. In some people, the joint pain may persist for months. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections.
No vaccine exists to prevent chikungunya virus infection or disease.
Prevention
Eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs (containers that hold water in and around the home).
Protect yourself by using repellent on your skin while indoors or out.
When possible, wear long sleeves and pants for additional protection. .
If someone in your house is ill with dengue, take extra precautions to prevent mosquitoes from biting the patient and going on to bite others in the household. Sleep under a mosquito bed net, eliminate mosquitoes you find indoors and wear repellent.
Diagnosis
Several methods can be used for diagnosis. Serological tests, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), may confirm the presence of IgM and IgG anti-chikungunya antibodies. IgM antibody levels are highest 3 to 5 weeks after the onset of illness and persist for about 2 months. Samples collected during the first week after the onset of symptoms should be tested by both serological and virological methods (RT-PCR).
The virus may be isolated from the blood during the first few days of infection. Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) methods will detect the virus in the blood in the first 2 to 8 days of infection. After this time ELISA Assays are recommended.
Test options
Chik V: Direct detection of Chikunguya only
Dengue/Chik V* : Detection and differentiation of Dengue and Chikungunya
*The Dengue/Chik V test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Caribbean Genetics. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration or local regulations.
Learn more about Chikungunya
http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?Itemid=40931
http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs327/en/
http://www.webmd.com/news/20140617/chikungunya-virus-questions-answers
