PSA(public service announcement) : Chikungunya virus in Guadalajara

3 cases have been reported by the Health Dept. in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area.


http://www.informador.mx/jalisco/2015/605682/6/la-ssj-reporta-brote-de-chikungunya-en-guadalajara.htm

This is also known as BREAKBONE fever. Please be aware.

I thought Breakbone fever was dengue.......had it - don't ever want it again!!!

I never used to see those misquitos with striped legs and now I see only those and that has me a tad concerned.

Is that just a myth that the striped misquitos carry Dengue?

Either way we have some serious spraying to do at our house, since we also found a few black widows last week.

I have 3 friends in Simojovel, Chiapas who got the chikungunya and they say it is horrible, worst than the dengue..sure hope In do not ever get either..

Chikungunya is worse, and can have a very bad, even fatal chronic phase.

Acute
The acute phase of chikungunya infection typically lasts from a few days to a couple of weeks. Characteristics of the acute phase include an abrupt onset of chills, fever reaching up to 40 °C, vomiting, nausea, headache, arthralgia, and in some cases, maculopapular rash characterized by raised, spotted lesions. Severe joint and muscular pain is the main and the most problematic symptom of chikungunya.

Typically, the fever lasts for two days and then ends abruptly. However, other symptoms like joint pain, intense headache, insomnia and an extreme degree of prostration can last for about 5 to 7 days. The virus has been shown to infect epithelial and endothelial cells, primary fibroblasts and monocyte-derived macrophages, explaining the involvement of muscles, joints, and skin connective tissues.

Chronic
The chronic stage of chikungunya is characterized by poly-arthralgia that can last from weeks to years beyond the acute stage. Ninety-five percent of infected adults are symptomatic after infection. Recurrent joint pain is experienced by 30–40% of those infected. During early epidemics, rare but serious complications of the disease were noted, including myocarditis, eningoencephalitis, mild haemorrhage, uveitis and retinitis.

Death caused by chikungunya infections appears to be rare. However, increases in crude death rates have been reported during the 2004–2008 epidemics. More than half of patients who suffer from severe chikungunya fever are over 65 years old, and more than 33% of them die (exact source of statistics unknown). Most of these adults have underlying medical conditions and appear to be more likely to suffer complications. Children are also disproportionately affected by severe chikungunya fever.

Although not of great use, here is a table: Table 1. Comparison of the Clinical Features of Chikungunya Fever and Dengue Fever
Symbols indicate the percentage of patients exhibiting each feature: +++, 70%–100% of patients; ++, 40%–69%; +, 10%–39%; +/-, <10%; -, 0%. Adapted from CID 2009; 49:942 (clinical Infectious Disease – Oxford Journal)