Chikungunya fever is a disease spread by the bites of infected mosquitoes. Up to a million and a half people in regions such as India and South Asia are exposed to this virus every year. In addition, large-scale outbreaks of this fever occur in Central and East Africa, countries located on the Indian Ocean, namely Gabon, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mayotte, the Maldives, Comoros and Seychelles. In 2007, Chikungunya fever was recorded in Italy due to an imported infection.
What kind of disease is this, how does it manifest itself?
Fighting danger
Thus, the rapid increase in the incidence rate along with the expansion of the geography of the spread of the disease over the past few years indicate the vulnerability of people to the emerging infectious diseases that are transmitted by insects. In view of the current situation, programs aimed at combating viruses and ensuring health security are especially important.
What causes fever?
Chikungunya fever is transmitted through mosquito bites that belong to the Kusaki genus. You can get it in India, Africa or Asia. It is noteworthy that dangerous mosquitoes today have spread, among other things, back in Europe and North America. The term "chikungunya" in translation means "that which twists." The disease is of African descent. Like the yellow fever virus, in nature it is transmitted from monkeys and mosquitoes, and in urban conditions it can be transmitted from one person to another. Chikungunya is especially widespread in Asia. In villages in African and Asian regions, the disease is sporadic, and in cities epidemics occur from time to time. The main pathways of infection in chikungunya fever are described above.
Virus resistance
By its physical properties, this virus is very unstable to environmental conditions, as a result of which it quickly undergoes death amid exposure to high temperature or sunlight. Also, when using disinfectants, it can be quickly destroyed.
Pathogenesis of the disease
As already mentioned, the chikungunya virus can be obtained with a mosquito bite, and in addition, from a person infected with it. These mosquitoes bite during daylight hours. The peak of their aggressiveness is early morning and evening. Malicious insects bite both outdoors and inside buildings. As a rule, on average, the disease manifests itself on the fourth or eighth day after the bite is received, sometimes this time period is from two to twelve days. There is reliable evidence that carriers, in addition to mosquitoes, can be some animals.
Symptoms of the disease
This disease usually lasts from five to seven days. Chikungunya fever often causes severe pain in the joints, limiting their functions, which can last quite a long time. A detailed picture of a viral infection is mainly observed among adults and can take place in a very serious form.
What are the main symptoms of chikungunya fever?
At the end of the incubation period of two to three days, a person suddenly has a fever, which is accompanied by severe arthralgia, chills, headaches, photophobia, conjunctival hyperemia, loss of appetite, as well as nausea and abdominal pain. The migratory nature of polyarthritis affects mainly the small joints of the feet, hands, ankles and wrists. Large joints suffer much less frequently. From the very beginning of the fever, or after two to three days, a rash appears. The most intense rashes are found on the trunk and limbs, in addition, peeling is possible. Less commonly, petechiae and nosebleeds may occur. In general, such a phenomenon as bleeding is uncharacteristic even for children. Some patients have leukopenia.
Blood changes
With chikungunya fever in the blood of patients, the activity of the cell enzyme increases, as well as the concentration of reactive protein, which is accompanied by a decrease in the number of platelets. It may take weeks before recovery. In elderly patients, insufficient joint mobility and arthralgia may persist for a long time. Quite often, individual cases of ocular, neurological, cardiac complications with a violation of the digestive organs are recorded. The virus rarely leads to serious complications, but for a number of elderly people, such a disease can become fatal. Basically, the disease goes away with minor symptoms, and the infection may not be detected at all. An incorrect diagnosis is likely for the regions of distribution of the dengue virus , because its symptoms are similar to those of chikungunya fever.
Diagnosis of fever
As part of the diagnosis of the disease, various methods are used. There are various serological tests, among which, for example, immunosorbent analysis using fixed enzymes is used. This technique can detect the presence of antibodies to the virus. The highest level of antibody presence is achieved one month after the incubation period and lasts for eight weeks. This virus can be isolated during the first few days after it enters the human blood.
There are also various polymerase chain reaction methods with reverse transcriptase procedures. It is worth saying that the sensitivity of these methods is different, some of them may be suitable for clinical diagnosis. The products obtained from clinical samples are used for genotyping the disease, which, in turn, makes it possible to compare virus samples from certain geographical areas.
The main thing is to recognize the symptoms of chikungunya fever in time so that there are no complications.
Treatment
This fever rarely takes a life-threatening form. As such, a special treatment for this virus does not exist, but in the framework of pain relief, as well as against swelling, it is quite possible to use various painkillers, in particular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It should be noted that against the background of infection with this fever, in no case should you use aspirin.
Chikungunya fever is treated exclusively in a hospital setting. Such patients are shown pathogenetic therapy, due to which an improvement in the functions of organs that were affected by the disease is achieved. In addition, there is a normalization of metabolism and an increase in nonspecific stability, as well as the immune function of the body.
As noted above, in the presence of severe symptoms, the main measures for the treatment of fever should be aimed at lowering the temperature, eliminating intoxication, eliminating the pain syndrome and other life-threatening reactions.
In addition, strengthening the vascular wall is considered especially important in the treatment of this disease. For this, patients with fever are prescribed hemostatic therapy. In case of manifestation of strong excitement in patients, they are prescribed sedative drugs.
Scientific developments for treatment
The spread of chikungunya fever is, of course, scary. What do scientists do? To date, a vaccine has been developed against the disease, which, however, has not yet been tested. The creation of a vaccine is the merit of American scientists. The study was conducted by a team of specialists from the National Institute of Allergic Reactions and Infectious Diseases of the United States of America. In the process of research, scientists discovered several structural proteins that belong to the virus. On their basis, virus-like particles were developed in the laboratory, which in their structure are similar to the causative agent of fever, but are not able to cause infection. Two weeks after the introduction of these virus-like elements to macaques, scientists managed to infect animals with this fever.
Complete infection protection
In the process of research, it was also found that the injection of the created particles provoked the production of antibodies, which provided the animals with complete protection against infection. After that, as part of the continuation of the study, the prepared serum with antibodies obtained from macaques was administered to mice with weak immunity. Then a lethal dose of chikungunya virus was introduced to the rodents. As a result, the serum in the body of the mice prevented the development of their fever. Director of the research center Gary Nabel said that his colleagues were going to get permission that would allow them to further conduct clinical trials of the new existing vaccine.
Scientists also expressed hope that the method of using virus-like particles could be used to create vaccines for diseases that are caused by other representatives of the genus alphaviruses, especially eastern and western equine encephalitis, and in addition, o'nong nyong fever.
Chikungunya Fever Prevention
Prevention of the disease involves the prevention of mosquito bites, which occur mainly in the daytime, as well as the destruction of the breeding sites of these insects. As part of the prevention of mosquito bites, experts advise putting on clothes that will cover as large areas of the skin as possible. Also, open skin fragments and articles of clothing should be sprayed with mosquito repellents, according to the instructions contained in the annotation of a particular drug. In order to protect the elderly and sick people, children, as well as those resting during the daytime, it is necessary to use mosquito nets, whose effectiveness can be improved by treating with insecticides. In the daytime, it is advisable to use mosquito coils, as well as insecticide spray guns.
What to pay attention to?
Mosquitoes, which are carriers of fever, can breed in various containers filled with rainwater. Such places are usually located near workplaces and residential buildings. For this reason, special attention should be paid to water storage tanks, pot trays for plants, pet bowls, and also abandoned car tires and food containers.
Thus, in order to destroy the locations in which mosquitoes breed, it is required to remove the tanks around the house. Such vessels are best stored upside down. As for containers with water, including also those located indoors, they must be emptied every three to four days in order to eliminate favorable conditions for the reproduction of mosquitoes, or you can simply close them tightly to prevent dangerous insects from getting there. The causes of chikungunya fever should be known to many.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be emphasized that the symptoms of the disease are quite severe and manifest themselves intoxication syndrome, migratory polyarthritis, and in addition, a papular rash. Often various sporadic infections are recorded, as well as the development of a viral epidemic in cities in Africa and Asia. Fortunately, this disease most often has a favorable outcome, but it is not uncommon for residual pains in the area of affected joints to persist for a sufficiently long time. In any case, in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from being infected with this virus, people living in the areas of mosquito vectors deployment should take preventive measures. In particular, it is necessary to remove various containers in which rain water can accumulate, as well as cover the body as much as possible in order to avoid insect bites.
At the first suspicion of infection with this fever, you must immediately seek the advice of an infectious disease specialist. Particularly attentive should be the Russians who go on vacation to India, Africa, Asia or fly to the Maldives, Seychelles or Comoros, where Chikungunya fever is regularly diagnosed.