By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
Characterized by severe, weakening joint pain, fever, and rash, Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral illness, has been steadily spreading across the world. As of 30th September 2024, approximately 460,000 cases of the chikungunya virus disease (CHIKVD) and 170 CHIKVD-associated deaths have been reported worldwide. With the disease’s expansion, understanding its causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies has become more crucial to ensure protection against the virus. The chikungunya virus belongs to the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus. These alphavirus infections can produce severe destructive central nervous system diseases with serious consequences that can either cause arthralgic or neuroinvasive disease. It is primarily transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, mainly Aedesaegypti and Aedesalbopictus. These are day-biting mosquitoes, which usually become infected when they feed on a person who already has the virus and humans are the primary hosts of the chikungunya virus during epidemic periods. The disease can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. The word “chikungunya” was derived from the African Swahili or Makonde dialect translated as “To be bent over.” The roots of this viral illness date back to 1953, when it was first described during an outbreak in a Swahili village in the Newala district of southern Tanzania. The term refers to the “stooped-over posture” exhibited by individuals with the disease as a result of severe, chronic and incapacitating arthralgias in the joints and muscles. Chikungunya outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and there is a risk that the virus can still spread to unaffected areas by infected travellers. There is no treatment for the infection currently available, however, in the United States, vaccination against the disease exists.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms can include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, fatigue, rash, nausea and red eyes. The symptoms of chikungunya often appear within 2 to 7 days after a bite from an infected mosquito. Chikungunya is not spread from person to person. But mosquitoes pick up the virus when biting an infected person. The virus does not spread through bodily contact or saliva, although blood transmission may be a possible but rare way of spreading the disease. If a person is infected, it is important to avoid getting new mosquito bites to keep the virus from spreading to others. Many people get better with no other symptoms after 1 to 2 weeks. But others may have joint and muscle pain for months or even years after recovery. This is called chronic chikungunya arthritis. It affects at least 40 per cent of those who become infected with the virus. Although death from chikungunya is rare, the virus can cause severe problems in some people. People at higher risk include older adults, those with long-term conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, young children, and pregnant women who might spread the virus to their babies. Disease complications can include severe problems of the eyes, heart and nerves. People who have been infected once are likely to be protected from future infections. However, the infection can be prevented by vaccination. The vaccination is an injection of a weakened chikungunya virus and the vaccine is given in one dose. The best way to prevent chikungunya is to protect one’s self from mosquito bites as well as take the required vaccination. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is believed that the number of cases of chikungunya is underreported because its symptoms are similar to other diseases. Formerly found only in Africa and Asia, the virus is now global, spreading quickly since 2004 and affecting more than 110 countries worldwide.
Treatment
The goal of treatment for the infection is to relieve symptoms with rest, fluids and drugs, such as acetaminophen like Tylenol and others. Patients should avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin IB, or naproxen sodium (Aleve) until infections with symptoms similar to those of chikungunya fever have been ruled out. Drinking plenty of fluids also helps. For ongoing joint and muscle pain, drugs that relieve rheumatoid arthritis may help. Patients should also speak to their healthcare professional for advice. While the disease seems to spread speedily, ongoing research and global efforts to control mosquito populations and improve healthcare infrastructure, offer hope for mitigating the impact of the disease. To ensure a hopeful future, there is also significant progress in developing effective Chikungunya vaccines which will help fight the virus.