Chikungunya: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment!

Chikungunya, a water Borne disease is spread by mosquitoes, mostly Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus, which can also transmit dengue and Zika viruses.

Symptoms of Chikungunya: Symptoms usually begin within the range of 2-12 days of  mosquito bite. Abrupt onset of fever accompanied by joint pain which may last from a few days to even years. Joint swelling, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rashes on the skin are also some other symptoms. Occasional cases of eye, heart, and neurological complications have also been seen.

How to prevent Chikungunya: Avoiding mosquito bites is the only best protection. Empty and clean the water containers on a weekly basis and dispose of waste properly so as to reduce the chances of mosquito breeding. Apply insecticides to the surface of the containers (in and around). Wear clothes that cover as much of your body as possible, use mosquito nets, close the window and door screens, apply repellants (DEET, IR3535 or icaridin) to exposed skins or clothings.

Treatment of Chikungunya: Clinical management includes addressing fever and joint pain with anti-pyretics and optimal analgesics, drinking plenty of fluids and taking rest. There is no specific antiviral drug for the treatment for this. Paracetamol or acetaminophen are recommended for pain relief and reducing fever till dengue infections are ruled out.

Source:-https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya