The chikungunya virus flourishes in the sub-Saharan region, south-east Asia and in tropical regions around the Indian Ocean. While there are no specific drugs or vaccines that can combat chikungunya, the only defense that people have in these afflicted regions it to increase the level of preventive measures to the maximum possible levels and ensure that after diagnosis, treatment options can be deployed at the earliest and to the fullest extent possible. This problem is further compounded by the fact that the symptoms of chikungunya which include high fever are easily confused with other diseases, especially in children.
This deadly disease is spread by two types of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Regrettably, these two types of mosquitoes are also vector carriers of another deadly disease, the dengue virus. Of these two types of mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti is more dangerous as it bites people indoors, unlike Aedes albopictus which is not usually found indoors. Recently, there has been a significant discovery that points at how the chikungunya could reemerge and become a worldwide health risk.
Imagine Generations of Mosquitoes with ChikungunyaThe biggest problem with dealing with chikungunya is that once a person is infected, they can spread the virus to other people via mosquitoes. Researchers in India have found that the Aedes aegypti strain of mosquito can circulate the chikungunya virus within their offspring for generations. This means that if a mosquito has bitten someone with chikungunya, the virus will then pass on to the mosquito and then on to the mosquitoes that hatch eggs laid by the infected mosquito.
This study on vertical and trans-ovarian transmission of virus is a vital clue in understanding how a virus can reach a number that is large enough to effect human beings on a pandemic scale. The study was prompted by the fresh outbreak of the disease after a being absent for the last 32 years. Since Indian summers have the same harsh and hot climate as that of Saudi Arabia, the study takes on significant importance.
Related SymptomsSince the initial symptoms of those infected with chikungunya are very mild, it usually goes unnoticed. When the virus has taken hold, the infected person will display the symptoms of sudden high fever and joint pain. The pain is usually experienced in the hands, feet, wrists and ankles and can last for weeks. Other symptoms include muscle pain, rash and headaches. The common list of symptoms that chikungunya shares with other seasonal and non-lethal viral fevers such as the flu include headaches and muscle or joint pain. Therefore, symptoms such as high fever, especially in children, should not be ignored. They could indicate much serious problems such as dengue or chikungunya.
This deadly disease is spread by two types of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Regrettably, these two types of mosquitoes are also vector carriers of another deadly disease, the dengue virus. Of these two types of mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti is more dangerous as it bites people indoors, unlike Aedes albopictus which is not usually found indoors. Recently, there has been a significant discovery that points at how the chikungunya could reemerge and become a worldwide health risk.
Imagine Generations of Mosquitoes with ChikungunyaThe biggest problem with dealing with chikungunya is that once a person is infected, they can spread the virus to other people via mosquitoes. Researchers in India have found that the Aedes aegypti strain of mosquito can circulate the chikungunya virus within their offspring for generations. This means that if a mosquito has bitten someone with chikungunya, the virus will then pass on to the mosquito and then on to the mosquitoes that hatch eggs laid by the infected mosquito.
This study on vertical and trans-ovarian transmission of virus is a vital clue in understanding how a virus can reach a number that is large enough to effect human beings on a pandemic scale. The study was prompted by the fresh outbreak of the disease after a being absent for the last 32 years. Since Indian summers have the same harsh and hot climate as that of Saudi Arabia, the study takes on significant importance.
Related SymptomsSince the initial symptoms of those infected with chikungunya are very mild, it usually goes unnoticed. When the virus has taken hold, the infected person will display the symptoms of sudden high fever and joint pain. The pain is usually experienced in the hands, feet, wrists and ankles and can last for weeks. Other symptoms include muscle pain, rash and headaches. The common list of symptoms that chikungunya shares with other seasonal and non-lethal viral fevers such as the flu include headaches and muscle or joint pain. Therefore, symptoms such as high fever, especially in children, should not be ignored. They could indicate much serious problems such as dengue or chikungunya.