#chikungunyaoutbreak

[anjanarajguru]

Know All About Chikungunya!

Till date more than a thousand people have tested positive for the vector borne disease Chikungunya in Delhi alone and out of these, there have been five confirmed deaths. Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. The primary symptoms are fever and severe joint pain which could be accompanied by rash, headache, nausea, muscle pain and fatigue. Since many symptoms overlap with dengue, it is often misdiagnosed. The joint pain is debilitating and in Hindi, the disease is hence referred as haddi tod bukhar or bone breaking fever.

Transmission

Chikungunya is transmitted to humans by infected female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Transmission between humans occurs when a mosquito bites an infected person and then carries the disease to other humans through bites. These disease carrying mosquitoes are mostly found biting during the day but could also bite during the night. After the bite of an infected mosquito, illness usually occurs between 4 and 8 days but incubation period could be between one to 12 days. Transmission from an infected mother to child during childbirth is rare and there have been no reported cases of transmission due to breastfeeding.

Symptoms

Sudden onset of fever with joint pain is the first sign of Chikungunya. The joint pain normally lasts for a few days but in some people, it is seen to last over several months and even years. Fatigue, rashes, muscle pain and headache are also commonly seen. Complications are not common but in rare cases, there could be those related to the heart, nerves and the eye. It is more likely to be fatal in the elderly.

Diagnosis

Blood tests are done to determine if a person is infected with Chikungunya. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) method may confirm the presence of IgM and IgG anti-chikungunya antibodies.

Treatment

There is no treatment for Chikungunya and only symptoms are controlled with medicines which are mainly anti-pyretics and analgesics. Currently there are no vaccines either.

Prevention

People living in close proximity of mosquito breeding sites are most at risk. On our part, we must ensure that there is no stagnant water lying around our houses including in drums, buckets, plant pot plates, coolers, flower vases etc. Clear any stagnant water in gardens and keep the surroundings clean. Garbage should not be dumped in the open. Wear long sleeves and trousers during a disease outbreak and use mosquito repellents. Fogging at regular intervals can be undertaken by resident welfare associations to prevent and control breeding.

Unless as a nation, we make hygiene our top priority and take the responsibility of keeping not just our homes but even public places clean, we cannot control the breeding of mosquitoes and the spread of disease therefrom. The government on their part has to ensure that there is no garbage accumulation and the same is cleared efficiently everyday and drains and water bodies are regularly cleaned.

There are somethings which are not in our control but then there are some which we surely can take care of with little effort and awareness. Let's make hygiene and cleanliness a habit and help the nation be free of these preventable diseases.

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