Chikungunya - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

Humans are infected by the chikungunya virus when a mosquito bites them. It leads to joint pain and fever. Usually the condition is not fatal, but the symptoms are long-lasting and severe. Earlier it was considered as the disease of the countries in the tropical region, but over the years this disease has spread to several other non-tropical countries.

The virus of the disease is essentially transmitted through the bite of the mosquito which is female. It is not a contagious disease however; it can get transmitted to other human if he/she comes in contact with the blood of the infected individual. There is no vaccine for the prevention of the chikungunya fever. There is also no effective or definitive anti-viral treatment for the relief of the person suffering from it. This disease runs only for a specific period of time. usually no serious complications are caused by this disease.

The fever lasts for only a few days, but the joint pain may last for a month. The symptoms exhibited by the person suffering from chikungunya fever are similar to that of other fever caused by the mosquito bites like dengue. Usually the symptoms appear only after a few days of mosquito bite. Given below is a list of the symptoms which may be exhibited by an individual suffering from this condition

• A person may have fever as high as 105 F.
• A person may have some rash on the skin.
• A person suffering from this may also complain of muscle pain.
• Swelling around the joints can also be observed.
• A person may experience severe joint pain.

Some of the other rare symptoms which may accompany this condition are nausea, vomiting, conjunctivitis, and maculopapular rash.

The root cause of chikungunya is that it gets transmitted to humans from the mosquito. The least common mode of transmission of this condition is when it gets transmitted from a pregnant mother to a child. It is known as vertical transmission. It is also possible that a person can get infected with disease if he/she comes in contact with infected blood products. Although, no case of this type have been reported thus far. The virus finds humans and other primates as the natural and perfect host. The mosquito which spreads the virus is female mosquito with the name of Aedes albopictus.

As the root cause of chikungunya fever is that of mosquito bite so the nest way to prevent any person from this condition is avoiding coming in contact with mosquitoes. Some of the steps which can be taken to prevent virus are

• A person should wear clothes that are covering the entire body.
• A person should stay indoors as much as possible specifically during evening and early morning.
• A person should sleep under a mosquito net.
• Making use of insect repellent can be a very good idea.
• The areas which are experiencing the outbreak of chikungunya must be avoided for travelling.
• Making use of products that have oil of eucalyptus lemon can be very effective.

For the diagnosis of chikungunya only blood test are the most definitive way of confirming the disease. The symptoms of this disease are common to several other mosquito bite conditions like dengue. Thus, it is very important to rule out dengue fever as soon as possible as the mortality rate of dengue is much more in comparison to this disease. If any person is experiencing symptoms related to chikungunya after visiting a place that is known to have this disease then he/she should visit the doctor immediately.

The virus of this disease is rarely fatal; however, the symptoms can be very distressing and long-lasting. The patients suffering from chikungunya fever usually recover within a week, but the joint pain can last as long as one year. There is no vaccine to prevent or treat virus. The treatment is given based on the symptoms which are being experienced by the patient. For the patient suffering from the chikungunya virus a doctor advises the following

• A person should take plenty of rest.
• Dehydration must be prevented by drinking sufficient amount of fluids.
• Medications such as acetaminophen or paracetamol are prescribed by the doctor for providing relief in the symptoms of joint pain and fever.
• Until dengue is ruled out a person is strictly advised to avoid using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin.
• If a person is taking some over-the-counter medications then he/she must inform the doctor in about the medicines being taken by him/her.

Apart from the conventional treatment for the condition of the chikungunya fever a person can also opt for some of the natural remedies after taking permission from the doctor. Some of the home remedies which can be used for the treatment are

• Turmeric: One of the highly effective home remedy in the treatment of chikungunya fever is turmeric as it contains magnesium sulphate crystals that help the reduction of pain and inflammation.
• Ginger: The pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties help in reducing the pain of the joints in chikungunya fever.
• Coconut water: After infecting the body with virus very quickly attacks the liver, thus coconut water has a very positive effect on the overall functioning of the liver and it also reduces the symptoms of chikungunya.
• Sunflower seed and honey: Honey mixed with sunflower seeds is very effective home remedy that provides great relief in joint pain. Sunflower seeds are enriched in vitamin E and zinc while honey is known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Currently there is no best medicine or vaccine for the treatment of chikungunya. The medications which are prescribed by the doctor usually focus on the symptoms rather than the cause of the disease. A phase 2 clinical trial of chikungunya vaccine is currently going on. The vaccine is made up of virus like particles instead of weakened viruses.

In the case of Chikungunya, it usually takes two to seven days for the symptoms to appear after infection. The duration for which those symptoms last in a person depends upon the severity of the infection.

In general cases, a three to ten days time period is sufficient for an infected individual to recover completely. However, in older age groups or people with certain comorbidities, symptoms like joint pain may persist for months or years.

Summary: Chikungunya usually lasts for a time period of 3 to 10 days in normal cases. But it may take up to months or years to recover completely in certain cases depending upon the severity of symptoms and health status of the affected individuals.

Foods or food habits are always linked with infection either directly or indirectly. Similarly, in the case of Chikungunya, it is important for us to keep an eye on food items as well as food-related habits so as to prevent the worsening of the condition. Preventive measures we need to take regarding that include:

• Avoiding non-vegetarian foods: Non-veg food items overburden our body’s system, especially the liver, hence should be avoided in such conditions.
• Avoiding overeating: One should prefer smaller and frequent meals rather than overeating so as to ease the digestion process.
• Avoiding packaged and processed foods: These include ready-to-eat or junk food items such as chips, burgers, pizzas, pasta, etc. These are too unhealthy to be taken in such conditions.

Summary: It is important for us to know about the food items to be avoided in Chikungunya so as to prevent the worsening of the symptoms. Some of them include non-vegetarian food items, packaged or processed food, etc. as they are not easy to digest and may overburden the liver.

Some fruits which should be preferred while suffering from Chikungunya include:

• Vitamin C-rich fruits: Oranges, kiwi, amla, and guavas are some of the best sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is known for its immunity-boosting properties, hence is needed in such conditions.
• Pomegranate: This is the best fruit considering liver detoxification. Hence, it is preferred in certain viral infections like Chikungunya.
• Coconut: Coconut water helps to keep our body hydrated which is important while suffering from high fever during Chikungunya. It also promotes the body’s detoxification.

Summary: Fruits that possess immunity-boosting properties as well as maintain proper body hydration should be preferred in the case of Chikungunya. Some examples include pomegranate, guava, oranges, amla, coconut, etc.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne infection. Its transmission takes place through contact with the infected blood. Viruses in the blood of an infected person may be transmitted to the blood of a normal individual in two ways mainly which are mosquito bites and infected blood transfusion.

Thus, there are no chances or risks for the Chikungunya viruses to get transmitted through touch or any physical contact.

Summary: Being a mosquito-borne infection, Chikungunya is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact which is possible only by biting the carrier mosquitoes or transfusion of the infected blood.

Although dengue and Chikungunya both are viral infections being transmitted by the same carrier mosquito, there are certain differences between them which include the following:

• Causative agent: Dengue is caused due by an infection with Flavirideae flavivirus while Chikungunya is caused by Togaviridae alphavirus.
• Incubation period: In the case of Chikungunya, the incubation period is one to twelve days while it varies between 3 to 10 days in the case of dengue.
• Initial symptoms: Initial symptoms such as rashes occur on the torso and arms in the case of Chikungunya while in dengue, arms and face are affected.

Summary: Though dengue and Chikungunya both are viral infections, sharing some common symptoms in between, there are certain differences too. They differ from each other with respect to some factors such as causing viruses, incubation period, etc.