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Chikungunya

Tags : Chikungunya

1730186674Screenshot 2024-10-29 124630.jpg

Topic: Health

Why in the news?

  • Doctors have urged citizens not to panic over the ‘chikungunya nose’ during the present outbreak. 

Source: The Indian Express

About Chikungunya:

  • It is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes infected with the chikungunya virus.
  • The word comes from the African Makonde language and means \"bent over in pain.\" 
  • It is most commonly transmitted by mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes 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:
    • Its 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, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash. 
  • Treatment:
    • There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for chikungunya virus infections.
    • The goal of treatment for the infection is to relieve symptoms with rest, fluids and drugs.

 Chikungunya nose:

  • It is the brownish pigmentation or ‘brownie nose’ appearance.
  • It is a characteristic presentation of the Chikungunya fever.
  • This occurs due to melanin deposition on the tip of the nose and is generally not serious.
  • The discoloration usually fades within a few weeks and is self-limiting in most cases.

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