Chikun gunya

CHIKUN GUNYA FEVER

Chikun gunya is a viral, communicable disease spread by infected mosquitoes. This disease closely resembles dengue fever. It is not a life threatening disease but the symptoms of the disease are more painful than the other diseases spread by mosquitoes. About 1.25 million cases are reported annually from india, karnataka and maharastra being the most affected states.

The virus causing the disease is Alpha virus and the mosquito which carries the virus is Aedes mosquito.

Signs and Symptoms:

1. Fever upto 102.2 degrees F

2. Rash on limbs

3. Severe muscle pains and joint pains

4. Headache

5. Insomnia or sleeplessness

How to know whether do you have chikun gunya or not:

The presence of chikun gunya virus can be confirmed by performing blood tests in the laboratory. The reports can be got in 2-3 days after the blood test, hence the disease can directly confirmed by the physician on seeing the symptoms and treatment is started.

Treatment:

Till today there is no specific tratment prescribed for chikun gunya. And there is no vaccine for the disease rather. But in the recent days chloroquine phosphate is tried which is showing some good results. As the disease is characterised by symptoms like joint pains, muscle pains and headache, drugs like aspirin and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs can be administered.

Prevention:

1.The only way to prevent this disease is mosquito control by:

2.Maintaining cleanliness in your surroundings

3.Killing the mosquito larvae which multiply in the sewage using insecticides

4.Using mosquito repellants in your living place