INFORMATIONAL ITEM
Chikungunya
Countries with chikungunya infection (CTKBioTech)
Chikungunya
fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected
mosquitoes. Chikungunya virus is an Alphavirus
indigenous to tropical Africa and Asia that
can cause debilitating illness, characterized by fever, headache, fatigue,
nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, rash, and joint pain. Bleeding from the nose or gums is also
possible in some cases. The term
“chikungunya” is thought to be derived from the word “kungunyala” in the
Makonde language of southeastern Tanzania and northern Mozambique, which means
‘that which bends up’ and refers to the stooped posture many patients develop
as a result of painful and debilitating arthritis commonly associated with the
disease. No vaccine or specific
antiviral treatment for chikungunya fever is available. Treatment is focused on relief of discomforts
due to illness; bed rest, fluids, and mild pain medications. Recovery takes
several weeks, coinciding with pronounced lethargy. As with most mosquito-borne
illnesses, the best way to avoid chikungunya infection is to prevent mosquito
bites.
Chikungunya was
first recognized in Tanzania
in 1953 and has since been identified and cited as the cause of numerous
epidemics throughout much of Africa and in many areas of Asia.
In recent years, however, this disease has seen an increase in outbreaks in
endemic areas as well as in previously undocumented areas of the world. For these reasons, Chikungunya is considered
to be a reemerging disease of considerable concern.
- In 1999-2000, an estimated 50,000 people were
infected in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Since the end of 2004, Chikungunya has emerged in the
islands of the south-western Indian Ocean
causing one of the largest outbreaks reported in the past 40 years. During
this outbreak, previously undescribed forms of chikungunya were reported.
- In 2006, Chikungunya fever cases were reported in
travelers returning from known outbreak areas to Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and South America.
- During 2005-2006, 12 cases of Chikungunya fever were
diagnosed in travelers who arrived in the United States from areas known
to be epidemic/endemic for the disease.
- Most recently, this summer Italian Health authorities
have reported a small epidemic with 166 cases of Chikungunya fever in
northeast Italy.
The vectors of Chikungunya
are mainly Aedes species including
the African Ae. aegypti (the yellow
fever mosquito), Ae. africanus, as
well as Ae. albopictus (the Asian
tiger mosquito). Ae. aegypti has a world wide distribution,
and Ae. albopictus has recently become
well-known after being introduced into many countries outside Asia,
such as the
United States, Israel,
Australia, New Zealand, as well as several countries in
Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, and in
14 European countries. This mosquito
does not easily survive in colder climates; so, its spread has been slow in
northern latitudes. It has, however,
been able to survive and spread throughout some warmer Mediterranean countries,
especially in Italy
where the outbreak occurred a few months ago. In regards to North
America, Ae. albopictus
has been recorded from at least 28 states and has been found infected in the United States
with Eastern Equine Encephalitis.