Have you ever heard of the Chikungunya virus? It is transmitted to people by mosquitoes. It is usually very common in areas like Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Chikungunya Virus was discovered for the first time in late 2013, on an island , in the Caribbean. There is the possibility that the virus will be imported to new areas by infected travelers. For now, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus infection. When traveling to countries with chikungunya virus, it is advisable that you use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and trousers, and stay in areas with air conditioning or that use window and door screens.

Mode of Spread:

• Chikungunya virus is transmitted to people through mosquito bites. When mosquitoes feed on a person that is already infected with the virus, they become infected.  These infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to other people through bites. Chikungunya virus is transmitted to people by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These are the same mosquitoes that transmit dengue virus. They bite during the day and at night.

• Chikungunya virus is transmitted but rarely from mother to her newborn around the time of birth. But to date, no infants have been found to be infected with chikungunya virus through breastfeeding. Because of the benefits of breastfeeding, mothers are encouraged to breastfeed even in areas where chikungunya virus is circulating.
• In theory, the virus could be spread through a blood transfusion.  Bu  there are no known reports of this happening.

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus

What you should know about the symptoms of Chikungunya virus:

• The most common symptoms are fever and joint pain.
• Symptoms will sually begin 3 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
• People at risk for more severe disease include newborns infected around the time of birth, older adults from the age of 60 and people with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease.
• Chikungunya disease does not often result in death, but the symptoms can be severe and disabling.
• Most people infected with chikungunya virus will develop some symptoms.
• Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.
• Most patients feel better within a week. In some people, the joint pain may persist for months.
• Once a person has been infected, such a person is likely immune  from future infections.

Diagnosis for Chikungunya disease:

See your healthcare provider if you develop two or three of the symptoms described above and have visited an area where chikungunya is found. If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled. Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for chikungunya or other similar viruses like dengue and Zika.

Treating Chikungunya disease:

1. Treat the symptoms by:

• Getting enough rest.
• Drinking fluids especially water to prevent dehydration.
• Take medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or paracetamol to reduce fever and pain.
• Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of bleeding).
• If you are taking any medicine for a different medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking additional medication.

1. If you have chikungunya, se to it that the  mosquitoes do not bite you during the first week of your illness.

• During the first week of infection, chikungunya virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to a mosquito through mosquito bites.
• An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.

NOTE: The mosquitoes that spread the chikungunya virus bite mostly during the daytime.

How to prevent yourself from mosquito bites:

1. If weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
2. Help reduce the number of mosquitoes outside your home or hotel room by emptying standing water from containers such as flowerpots or buckets.
3. Use air conditioning or window/door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
4. Ensure to use insect repellents:

• Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol provide long-lasting protection.
• If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first before applying the repellent.
• Do not spray repellent on the skin under your clothing.
• Always follow the label instructions when using insect repellent or sunscreen.
• Treat clothing with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated clothing.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)