Chikungunya Virus: Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Agent characteristics
Geographic distribution
Reservoirs and hosts
Transmission, exposure, and seasonality
Infectivity and pathogenicity
Diagnosis and screening programs
Treatment and prevention
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

This research paper is aimed at discussing the Chikungunya virus, which is also known as CHIKV. In particular, it is necessary to focus on disease agent characteristics, geographic distribution, transmission, pathogenicity, virulence, and other characteristics that are critical for understanding the risks posed by this virulent infection. Moreover, much attention should be paid to the diagnosis of this disease, screening, prevention, and treatment. This information is important for limiting the spread of this disease in various regions of the world. Overall, one should bear in mind that currently, there are no effective vaccines and medications that can help patients who run the risks of becoming infected with this virus. Therefore, much attention should be paid to prevention methods, especially mosquito control because in this way, patients can better avoid the risks of possible complications. These are the main issues that should be examined more closely.

Agent characteristics

Overall, this virus belongs to the Togaviridae family. Furthermore, it belongs to the genus of Alphavirus. The virus is believed to be a member of the Semliki Forest Virus. Its vision can be described as the icosahedral, spherical particle (Bisen 225). Its diameter is approximately 65 nm. The nucleic acid of this virus is a single-stranded, linear RNA (Bisen 225). This virus is susceptible to various solutes of ethanol, glutaraldehyde, and sodium hypochlorite. Additionally, this virus can be inactivated by wet and dry heat (Bisen 225). These are the main aspects that should be considered. This information may be necessary for developing the medications that can effectively treat this disease.

Geographic distribution

One should keep in mind that Chikungunya is one arthropod-borne virus. The virus is mainly carried to humans by Aedes mosquito (Krasner 169). In turn, this disease is more widespread in those regions where these insects live. The three continents that have been affected include Asia, Africa, Europe, and America (Krasner 169). In Asia, the CHIKV infection has been observed in such countries as Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and other states (World Health Organization). In Africa, the virus has affected people living in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, and many other African states (World Health Organization). In the Americas and Europe, minor incidences of this disease could be attributed to travelers coming from Africa and Asia. The only exception is Italy in which an outbreak of this disease was detected (World Health Organization). This information can be of great value to epidemiologists who are supposed to control this disease and identify at-risk populations. Moreover, travelers also should remember the risk of this disease. So, the geographic distribution is an important epidemiological characteristic of this disease.

Reservoirs and hosts

According to Schwartz (32) animals, humans and non-human primates act as the main reservoirs for this virus. Furthermore, one should speak about bats, birds, and rodents (Schwartz 32). In other words, this virus can use the bodies of these species as a habitat. The virions can live and multiply there. In turn, the hosts of this virus also include human beings, non-human primates, as well birds (Schwartz 32). So, these organisms can be easily infected with this virus. Therefore, one can say that these two groups are practically congruent with one another. Nevertheless, they do not contribute to the spread of this virulent disease.

Transmission, exposure, and seasonality

The virus can be transmitted and spread through a bite by an infected mosquito. These mosquitoes carry the virus from the victim to a healthy person through a bite. The primary vector of the virus is the Aedes aegypti, which is commonly known as the yellow fever mosquito (Barrett and Stanberry 54). Yet, there is evidence suggesting that other insects can also act as the transmitters of this disease. This is one of the risks that should be taken into account. It should be mentioned that the epidemics of this disease are more likely to occur during the tropical rainy season. In contrast, the number of cases usually decreases during dry seasons (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). This issue should be taken into account by people who go to the countries in which the cases of Chikungunya epidemics have been identified. In turn, exposure to mosquitos is one of the factors that can increase the risk of this disease. Therefore, by visiting the counties in which these insects live, a person is more likely to be affected by this virus. These are some of the main aspects that should be singled out.

Infectivity and pathogenicity

It should be mentioned that the infectivity of Chikungunya can differ significantly because much depends on the specific strains of this virus. Moreover, one should mention that the infectivity of this virus has increased significantly due to mutations of this virus. This is one of the reasons why medical workers begin to pay more attention to this virulent disease.

Additionally, it is important to remember that the pathogenicity of this virus is high. In addition to that, Chikungunya can be described as a febrile, self-limiting disease (Sachdeva 522). This virus enters the human body through endothelial and epithelial. In turn, its replication occurs in the skeletal muscle cells, fibroblasts, and myofibers. The virus undergoes replication, but the most common types are the I and II interferon. This virus frequently leads to arthritis and arthralgia. Moreover, this disease is accompanied by mild hemorrhaging. Exposure to Aedes mosquito is the main factor that increases the probability of this virulent infection. In some cases, the disease can be accompanied by such complications as arthritis or arthralgia. This illness can become more severe if a patient has other co-morbidities. Under such circumstances, Chikungunya can lead to a fatal outcome.

Additionally, the virulence of CHIKV has also increased. The duration of this illness depends on the age of this patient. For example, adults may need 2,5 months in order to recover. Thus, older people are more likely to struggle with complications. In contrast, teenagers can do it within two weeks.

Diagnosis and screening programs

The CHIKV can be diagnosed with the help of serological tests, virus isolation, and the RT-PCR. The serological test is based on the so-called ELISA assay which is necessary for measuring the CHIKV levels (Sachdeva 522). One should keep in mind that this process requires a considerable amount of blood. To get the results, it takes two or more days. Nevertheless, this diagnosis method may not be accurate. Moreover, in some cases, it gives false results. This is the main flaw of this technique. In turn, the virus isolation entails exposure of some particular cell lines to the samples of the whole blood collected to check the specific CHIKV-responses. This method is the most accurate of the three. However, it takes a week or more days to get the results. This is one of the main limitations that should not be disregarded. The third and most common CHIKV testing method is the RT-PCR. It involves the study of the nested primer pairs in order to amplify any CHIKV genes in the blood. These are the main techniques that enable medical workers to determine whether a person is infected with this disease. Apart from that, medical workers often rely on differential diagnosis in order to exclude the probability of similar infections. The problem is that CHIKV can look similar to other fevers. These are the main challenges that medical workers face.

While screening for potential cases of this disease, one should focus on the symptoms of this disease. The signs of the CHIKV may vary from one victim to another, especially in the early stages. According to Basavanthappa (84), the symptoms of the virus are very similar to those of any other mosquito infection such as malaria. These symptoms include joint and muscular pains, persistent headache, nausea, fever, vomiting, body weakness, and rash. Nevertheless, in many cases, instances of this disease can go undetected (Sachdeva 522). Additionally, medical workers should focus on those patients who come from countries in which this disease is more widespread. Overall, screening is possible with the help of various molecular techniques. The transmission of this disease can be limited by identifying donors who could be exposed to this virus (Galea 150). This strategy is useful for limiting the spread of this disease. These are the main points that can be made.

Treatment and prevention

Currently, there is no treatment for this virulent disease. Additionally, no vaccine is currently available to medical workers. Nevertheless, healthcare professionals can use the medications that can mitigate the symptoms of this illness (Galea 150). In particular, one should speak about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as paracetamol and naproxen. It should be noted that Chikungunya can give rise to chronic arthritis. Under such circumstances, the use of ribavirin can be helpful. This absence of effective treatment poses significant challenges for people living in African and Asian countries.

The prevention of this disease is based primarily on mosquito control. For example, one can speak about the use of treated mosquito nets, applying a mosquito repellent on any exposed body part, and wearing long-sleeved clothes (Sachdeva 522). Furthermore, one should speak about the need to avoid any mosquito-encouraging environments by getting rid of their breeding areas. Becker (34) says that since the disease has no cure, prevention of the CHIKV should be keenly observed because this is the only approach to minimization of health risks. Moreover, they should refrain from visiting regions that have recently been affected by the epidemic of this virulent disease. This is one of the details that travelers should not overlook.

Conclusion

The public should learn more about the risks of this virulent disease, its symptoms, and prevention since this knowledge can help them minimize risks to their health. Apart from that, various travelers should follow the guidelines set by medical workers, especially when they work in countries in which this disease is more widespread. It is critical to focus prevention techniques such as mosquito control since no effective treatment is currently available. These are the main details that can be singled out.

Works Cited

Barrett, Daniel, and Lawrence Stanberry. Vaccines for Biodefense and Emerging and Neglected Diseases, Amsterdam: Academic, 2009. Print.

Becker, Norbert. Mosquitoes and Their Control. Berlin: Springer, 2010. Print.

Bisen, Prakash. Microbes: Concepts and Applications, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Chikungunya. CDC Home. CDC., 2013. Web.

Galea, George. Essentials of Tissue Banking, New York: Springer, 2010. Print.

Krasner, Robert. The Microbial Challenge: Science, Disease and Public Health, New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2010. Print.

Sachdeva, Anupam. Advances in Pediatrics, New York: JP Medical Ltd, 2012. Print.

Schwartz, Eli. Tropical Diseases in Travelers, Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print.

World Health Organization. Dengue control: Chikungunya. WHOint. WHO., 2014. Web.

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