While most of the world’s attention has been concentrated on
Ebola, another virus originating in Africa has been spreading to the United
States. Chikungunya is a single stranded RNA virus in the Togaviridae family.
Previously, the travel-acquired cases of Chikungunya have
been found in forty-five states, but now eleven locally transmitted cases have
been identified in Florida by ArboNET, the national surveillance system for
arthropod-borne diseases. Chikungunya was first identified in Tanzania in 1952
and has since then spread to South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.
| Photo Courtesy of the CDC |
Chikungunya is transmitted by two species of mosquitos Aedes
aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Compared to mosquitos that spread other diseases,
such as West Nile virus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are more likely to
live around humans or inside buildings. In fact, the genus is derived from the Latin word, aedificium which means building or temple. This proximity to humans increases the risk of infection, so keeping mosquitoes away from the infected is key for containment.
| Photo courtesy of University of Florida |
Symptoms of Chikungunya include severe joint pain, swelling
around the joints, fever, conjunctivitis, nausea, rash, headache, and muscle
pain. The fever typically breaks after a two days and other acute symptoms
resolver after seven to ten days, but joint pain can linger for months afterwards.
Currently, there is neither a vaccine nor an anti-viral cure for Chikungunya,
as the disease has been poorly researched. The CDC and Florida Department of
Health are encouraging preventative measures such as draining standing water, keeping
windows and doors closed, and wearing insect-repellant.
Currently, there is neither a vaccine nor an anti-viral cure
for Chikungunya, as the disease has been poorly researched. The CDC and Florida
Department of Health are encouraging preventative measures such as draining
standing water, keeping windows and doors closed, and wearing insect-repellant.
References:
-Madeleine Bousquet
1 comment:
5 years ago I had warts, I was treated with some liquid applied to the warts they continued to grow and spread... The next 2 doctors did laser surgery to remove them. 1 year after the surgery, they grew back close to where the 1st ones were' so I was finally told it was hpv. I have had it for very long time, I contract it from my cheated boyfriend and I found out he was also infected and I end up the relationship between us. the warts was so embarrasses because it started spreading all over I have be dealing with this things for very long time the last treatment I take was About 2 years ago I applied natural treatment from Dr onokun herbal cure, a week after applying the treatment all the warts was gone. it's now 2 years and some months I don't have single wart or any symptoms of hpv. wow"" it's great, Dr onokun has finally cured me. Anyone living with hpv contact Dr onokun for natural treatment.
His email address: dronokunherbalcure@gmail.com
Post a Comment