Chikungunya Fever: Created Panic

Have you ever suffered from the discomforts of 'Chikungunya Fever'? You would have been immobilized for a period of three to four days. Chikungunya would have been associated with extreme joint pain and swelling with rashes, nausea, vomiting and headache. Joint pain could have made you weak and uncomfortable.

Outbreak of Chikungunya

In case if you are not experienced it, you might have heard about the outbreak of Chikungunya in India. According to WHO, chikungunya fever was creating panic during a period of twenty months (February 2005 to October 2006) 'in 151 districts in 8 states / provinces of India.' Around 1.25 million people was suspected to be suffering from chikungunya. The prevalence was about 7.52 lakhs in Karnataka 2.58 lakhs from Maharashtra and 64,500 in Tamil Nadu. The fever was first reported in Tanzania in 1952. There was an outbreak of Chikungunya in India during 1962-1963 with different name.

Meaning

The meaning of the term 'Chikungunya' in "the Kimakonde language" is "to become contorted" or "that which bends up". Perhaps the actual purpose of the term could have been to describe 'stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain.'

Transmission Cycle

Chikungunya is the viral fever caused by a member of the genus Alpha virus, in the family Togaviridae - the similar virus that spread dengue and yellow fever. The virus gets transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The mosquitoes get themselves infected by the virus when they feed on Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infected humans. Instead of humans there may be other animals i.e. monkeys. The infected mosquitoes will carry and transmit the CHIKV to the other healthy individuals by biting. So make sure to safeguard the infected individuals (when they are down with chikungunya) from these mosquitoes to avoid repetitive transmission cycles.

Symptoms

CHIKV causes sufferings similar to dengue fever. The incidence of high fever lasts only three to four days. But the joint pain caused by the virus remains for several weeks or even months. Prolonged sufferings due to extreme joint pain make the patient weak and bed-ridden. Be sure that chikungunya will not pose life threats.

Are there any clinical laboratory tests like blood or urine or stool examination to confirm the incidence of chikungunya infection? No! Your physician will not prescribe clinical laboratory tests as he will get no clue about infection from these tests. He will confirm the infection after noticing the symptoms such as fever with joint pain associated with swelling etc.

Treatment

Is there any CHIKV vaccine? No! Unfortunately there is no vaccine for chikungunya. Is there any proven treatment for chikungunya? No. The conventional medicine does not have proven treatment for chikungunya. However certain pain relievers, anti-inflammatory and anti-malarial drugs may help you to fight with fever, joint pain and swellings. Assume a person with chikungunya has recovered from this painful illness. Is there any chance to catch the illness again? No! Now you are blessed with immunity for a longer duration.

Cleaner Environment and Prevention

Is there any proven way to arrest CHIKV? We are damn sure that there is no direct transmission of CHIKV. Oncewe are sureof CHIKV transmission through Aedes agypti, the specific mosquito species, we must safeguard ourselves from the mosquitoes. Now you will say the ways and means. The breeding environment for mosquitoes would be of domestic storage containers with clean water. Also the wasteful and discarded items like coconut shells, grinding stone, thrown out plastic cups, mud utensils, worn out car tyre etc. Just clean your surroundings and take out all wastes. Provide lids or covers to all your water containers. Arrest the mosquito breeding around your domestic environment.

Siddha Medication

According to the newspaper report, the Tamil Nadu Health Minister has confirmed that Siddha system of medicine has a cure for the dreaded chikungunya. In the absence of any effective allopathic medicine, more than 20,000 patients were treated for chikungunya through Siddha medicine and they had recovered within five days. The Creat ('king of bitters') or 'Kirayat' or 'Nila Vembu' (Andrographis Paniculata, Family Acanthaceae), a medicinal plant and 'Amukkra Sooranam' from the roots of Ashwagandha or 'Amukkra' (Withania Somnifera, Family Solanaceae) were effective in preventing the disease.

Another report Dr. C.N.Deivanayagm, an allopathy physician from Tamil Nadu said that Siddha medicines -Withania Somnifera and Andrographis Paniculata were prescribedto the villagers. The CHIKV infected patients were prescribed medicine for 10 days. The near and dear of the villagers were also prescribed medicine for 7 days as a preventive measure. The medicine was proved effective in curing the illness and did not have any side effect. The cost of the entire treatment was just rs.40/- (around one US dollar)

Nilavembu decoction has anti-inflammation properties. 'Amukkra Sooranam' is sometimes helpful in relieving symptoms of chikungunya. The following medicines are also found effective:

1) Sudharsana sooranam

2) Threethoda tablets

3) Pinda thailam - for External use

4) Karpoorathi thailam - for External use

Source:

1) Wikipedia - Chikungunya - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikungunya

2) Chikungunya - www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/factsheets/fs327/en/

3) Chikungunya in India - http://www.who.int/csr/don/2006_10_17/en/index.html

4) National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme- Chikungunya Fever - http://www.nvbdcp.gov.in/chikun-status.html

5) Rediff News - FAQ: Is Chikungunya is Fatal - http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/oct/03spec2.htm

6) Siddhavani - Blogspot - http://siddhavani.blogspot.com/2007/06/1.html

7) The Hindu - Siddha medicines to tackle chikungunya - http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/01/stor...0160490300.htm

8) The Hindu - Siddha drugs for treating chikungunya symptoms - http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092218770900.htm

9) YOS Care Beta - Chikungunya: What You Must Know? - http://www.yoscare.in/content/chikungunya-what-you-m