Psychiatric Morbidity in Patients with Chikungunya Fever: First Report from India

Chikungunya fever is an acute illness caused by an arbovirus and has various complications like neurological, psychological, dermatological and even multi organ failure. Psychiatric co-morbidity is not very well studied till now. This is the first report from India.

Aim of the study was to assess the psychiatric morbidity during or after the onset of Chikungunya fever.

Patients referred from Medicine department with confirmed diagnosis of Chikungunya fever were recruited, after taking informed consent. Patient's socio-demographic characteristics were noted and Psychiatric co-morbidity was assessed by complete history taking and mental status examination, using WHO International Classification of Diseases, 10(th) edition (ICD -10) of Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Diagnostic criteria for research.

The age range of the study group was found to be 23-48 years. Fourteen (70%) were males and 6 (30%) were females. Five (25%) patients were diagnosed with depressive disorder, 3 (15%) patients had Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), 2 (10%) patients GAD with Panic attacks, 1(5%) patients phobic disorder (claustrophobia), 3 (15%) patients Somatoform Disorder, 3 (15%), Neurasthenia (Fatigue Syndrome), etc. Two (10%) patients presented with vague somatic complaints which did not fit into any of the diagnostic category.

Chikungunya fever can result in significant psychiatric morbidity, mainly in the form of depressive episode, anxiety disorder and even long persisting illnesses like somato-form disorders. Further research is required to know about the phenomenology or the neurobiology of the psychiatric disorders occurring in the course of this illness.