Chikungunya

About Chikungunya

• It is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes infected with the chikungunya virus.
• It is most commonly transmitted by mosquitoes, Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus, which can also transmit dengue and Zika viruses.
• It was first described during an outbreak in southern Tanzania in 1952 and has now been identified in nearly 40 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
• Symptoms:
  • Symptoms usually begin 4 to 8 days after a mosquito bite but can appear anywhere from 2 to 12 days.
  • The most common symptom is an abrupt onset of fever, often accompanied by joint pain. 
  • Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash. 
  • Serious complications are uncommon, but atypical severe cases can cause long-term symptoms and even death, especially in older people.
• Treatment: The goal of treatment for the infection is to relieve symptoms with rest, fluids and drugs.

Q1) What are Viral diseases?

These are illnesses caused by viruses, which are microscopic infectious agents that can only replicate inside the cells of living organisms. Viruses can infect various types of organisms, including humans, animals, plants, and even bacteria (bacteriophages).

Source: US approves first vaccine against chikungunya virus