Journal Article

Chikungunya: a re-emerging virus

Mahalingam, Suresh, Rolph, Micheal S, Heise, Mark T, Burt, Felicity J, Rulli, Nestor E

2012

Overview

In the past decade, chikungunya—a virus transmitted by Aedes spp mosquitoes—has re-emerged in Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, and the Indian Ocean Islands as the cause of large outbreaks of human disease. The disease is characterised by fever, headache, myalgia, rash, and both acute and persistent arthralgia. The disease can cause severe morbidity and, since 2005, fatality. The virus is endemic to tropical regions, but the spread of Aedes albopictus into Europe and the Americas coupled with high viraemia in infected travellers returning from endemic areas increases the risk that this virus could establish itself in new endemic regions. This Seminar focuses on the re-emergence of this disease, the clinical manifestations, pathogenesis of virus-induced arthralgia, diagnostic techniques, and various treatment modalities.

• Publisher: Elsevier Ltd,Elsevier,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: Aedes / Aedes albopictus / Africa / Africa - epidemiology / Alphavirus Infections - complications / Alphavirus Infections - diagnosis / Alphavirus Infections - drug therapy / Alphavirus Infections - epidemiology / Alphavirus Infections - prevention & control / Animals / Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage / Antibodies, Viral - administration & dosage / Antiviral Agents - administration & dosage / Aquatic insects / Arthralgia - virology / Asia / Asia - epidemiology / Biological and medical sciences / Chikungunya Fever / Chikungunya virus / Chikungunya virus - drug effects / Chikungunya virus - immunology / Chikungunya virus - pathogenicity / Chloroquine - administration & dosage / Communicable Diseases, Emerging - complications / Communicable Diseases, Emerging - diagnosis / Communicable Diseases, Emerging - drug therapy / Communicable Diseases, Emerging - epidemiology / Communicable Diseases, Emerging - prevention & control / diagnostic techniques / Disease Outbreaks / Epidemics / Europe / Europe - epidemiology / fever / General aspects / headache / human diseases / Humans / Indian Ocean Islands / Indian Ocean Islands - epidemiology / Insect Vectors / Internal Medicine / Medical sciences / morbidity / Mosquitoes / pathogenesis / Ribavirin - administration & dosage / risk / Tropical environments / tropics / Vaccines / Vector-borne diseases / Viral Vaccines - administration & dosage / viremia / viruses