Chandipura Virus Infection

About Chandipura Virus Infection: 

• It is a virus of the Rhabdoviridae family, which also includes other members such as the lyssavirus that causes rabies.
  • Several species of sandflies like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and some mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti (which is also the vector for dengue) are considered vectors of CHPV.
• The virus resides in the salivary gland of these insects, and can be transmitted to humans or other vertebrates like domestic animals through bites.
• The infection caused by the virus can then reach the central nervous system which can lead to encephalitis — inflammation of the active tissues of the brain.
• Disease progression can be as rapid as a patient reporting high fever in the morning, and their kidneys or liver being affected by the evening.
• Symptoms
  • The CHPV infection presents initially with flu-like symptoms such as acute onset of fever, body ache, and headache.
  • It may then progress to altered sensorium or seizures and encephalitis.
  • Respiratory distress, bleeding tendencies, or anaemia.
  • The infection often progresses rapidly after encephalitis, which may then lead to mortality within 24-48 hours of hospitalization.
• This infection has largely remained limited to children below 15 years.
• Treatment: The infection can only be symptomatically managed as currently there is no specific antiretroviral therapy or vaccine available for treatment.
• Affected regions in India
  • The CHPV infection was first isolated in 1965 while investigating a dengue/chikungunya outbreak in Maharashtra.
  • However, one of the most significant outbreaks of the disease in India was seen in 2003-04 in states such as Maharashtra, northern Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
  • The infection has largely remained endemic to the central part of India, where the population of CHPV infection-spreading sandflies and mosquitoes is higher.

Q1: What is Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA)?

Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) is one of a group of inherited disorders known as sickle cell disease (SCD). It affects the shape of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen. Healthy red blood cells are round, and they move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

Source: 6 children die of suspected Chandipura virus infection in Gujarat: What is the disease, and what are its symptoms?