Part 1 of 2: Identifying the Symptoms
- Look for a high fever. A high fever is one of the first symptoms of chikungunya, with body temperatures reaching as high as 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). The fever will usually last for about 2 days, before ending abruptly
-
Look for joint pain. The characteristic symptom of chikungunya fever is severe joint pain (or arthritis) in multiple joints, particularly in the extremities.
- In fact, the word chikungunya means "to be contorted" in the Kimakonde language, referencing the bent or hunched over appearance of victims suffering from joint pain.
- In most sufferers the joint pain will only last for a few days, however in older patients it may persist for longer. In some instances, the joint pain has been reported to last for several weeks, months or even years.
- Look for a rash. Sufferers of chikungunya fever will often develop a rash on their body and limbs. This rash may look like purple or red spots, or small red bumps.
- Watch out for other non-specific symptoms. Other common symptoms in chikungunya sufferers include persistent headaches, nausea, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting, photophobia and partial loss of taste.
-
Call your doctor if you think you may have Chikungunya fever. If you think you may have chikungunya fever, it's important to call your doctor, especially if you have a fever.
- As chikungunya is difficult to diagnose (and is often misdiagnosed as dengue fever), your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, the location of your travel and by taking a sample of your viral cultures.
- However, the only way to truly confirm the presence of chikungunya fever, is through laboratory testing of blood serum or cerebrospinal fluid. This is usually unnecessary as chikungunya rarely has complications which warrant laboratory diagnosis.
-
Treat the symptoms of the virus. There are no antiviral drugs designed to treat chikungunya fever itself, however your doctor may prescribe medication to alleviate the symptoms.
- For example, fever and joint aches can be lessened by medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen, and paracetamol. However, medications containing aspirin should be avoided.
- Patients with chikungunya fever are also advised to get lots of bed rest and drink plenty of fluids.
-
Prevent chikungunya fever by avoiding mosquito bites. Currently, there is no commercial vaccine for chikungunya fever. Therefore the only way to prevent the virus is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, especially when travelling in areas where the disease is prevalent, such as Africa, Asia and parts of the Indian subcontinent. To prevent mosquito bites:
- Wear long sleeved shirts and and long pants when traveling in endemic areas. If possible, treat your clothes with permethrin (a type of insecticide) to repel mosquitoes.
- Use mosquito repellent on exposed skin, preferably one containing DEET, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or icaridin, as these are the most effective and long lasting.
- Make sure your living accommodations have tightly-fitting insect screens on windows on doors. Sleep under an insecticide treated bed net at night, and use a net to protect young children and elderly people if they sleep during the day.
