Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026
06:18
Multiplexed Isothermal Amplification Based Diagnostic Platform to Detect Zika, Chikungunya, and Dengue 1
Published on: March 13, 2018
15.0K
The Chikungunya Epidemic: A look at five cases
Bethel Shiferaw1, Paul Lam1, Summer Tuthill1
1Nassau University Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, East Meadow, NY, USA.
Idcases
|January 22, 2016
Summary
Chikungunya virus infection, characterized by fever, joint pain, and rash, is spreading in the Americas. Early identification and preventing mosquito bites are crucial to limit the Chikungunya virus spread.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
- Public Health
Background:
- Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is transmitted by mosquitoes, causing fever, joint pain, and rash.
- Outbreaks have occurred globally, with local transmission identified in the Americas since 2013.
- Chikungunya virus disease is a nationally notifiable condition in the US, posing a potential spread risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation, risk factors, and laboratory findings of five Chikungunya virus infection cases.
- To raise awareness regarding the risk of Chikungunya virus transmission in non-endemic areas.
- To emphasize the importance of preventing local transmission by advising patients to avoid mosquito bites.
Main Methods:
- Case series describing five patients presenting with Chikungunya infection after returning from endemic areas.
- Review of clinical symptoms, travel history, and patient-reported contact history.
- Analysis of laboratory tests to confirm Chikungunya virus infection.
Main Results:
- All five patients presented with fever and had a travel history to Chikungunya-endemic regions.
- Commonly reported symptoms included arthralgia and skin rash.
- Contact history was also noted in the patient cohort.
Conclusions:
- Fever and travel history are key indicators for suspected Chikungunya virus infection.
- Preventing mosquito bites in patients with suspected Chikungunya is essential to curb local transmission.
- Awareness of Chikungunya virus clinical presentation and risk factors is vital for healthcare providers in the US.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
19
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
19
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
31
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable...
31