Expert holds chikungunya fever a permanent threat
The chikungunya virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the same mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus
With nearly 800 confirmed cases of the chikungunya fever in Brazil, it seems increasingly likelier that the country will have to live with the disease in the same way it did with the dengue fever. In the opinion of Pedro Tauil, MD in Tropical Medicine and professor at the University of Brasília, the disease is here to stay.
Tauil pointed out that the virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the same mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus. The mosquitos have already settled in all Brazilian states, with chikungunya transmissions recorded in three of them – Bahia (458 cases); Amapá (330 cases), and Minas Gerais (one case).
The new disease is expected to become more widespread in the same time of year as dengue, with peak transmission during the rainy season. However, it is far less likely to be fatal, since hemorrhagic cases are less frequent. The main symptoms (intense fever, headache, and aching ts, the same as those for dengue) last between three and ten days.
In most cases, there is no need to keep patients in hospital – they can receive home care, taking medicines to relieve pain and fever as prescribed by the doctor. According to Tauil, an accurate chikungunya diagnosis as distinguished from dengue is critical for effective care.
Prevention is similar for the two diseases, mostly consisting of mosquito control. This includes such simple steps as checking that water tanks are properly sealed, keeping backyards and other outdoor areas clear of containers that can accumulate water, keeping rain gutters free from blockage, and filling plant pot bases with sand to prevent them from accumulating water.
Since the first cases of chikungunya fever were confirmed in the Caribbean late in 2013, Brazil's Ministry of Health developed a National Contingency Plan outlining targets for disease control, increased surveillance efforts, a framework for healthcare response, and plans to prepare referral laboratories for diagnosis and train healthcare providers.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Expert holds chikungunya fever a permanent threat
