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.