Russia on alert for painful 'bone-breaking' chikungunya fever
Severe joint pain, skin rashes, and high fever are symptoms of the dangerous chikungunya fever, an epidemic of which has hit Latin America and Southeast Asia. Infectious disease specialists and experts from the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) warn that this disease is not as far from Russia as it may seem. Especially since only a single mosquito bite can separate a person from contracting the «bone-breaking fever.» Details are in the report from our colleagues at V1.RU.
«What»s That Terrible Epidemic in Cuba?«
Panicked reports of an epidemic in Cuba involving three mosquito-borne viral diseases emerged right after the New Year. Those infected complain of high fever, diarrhea, vomiting, joint swelling, and skin rashes. There are reports of overcrowded hospitals, drug shortages, and dozens of victims. Tourists on the Island of Freedom are being warned to take maximum precautions and to monitor their health closely after returning home.
Paying close attention to the reports about the epidemic in Cuba is Dr. Ancha Baranova, a Doctor of Biological Sciences from the USA, a professor at George Mason University, and a leading researcher at the Medical Genetics Research Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
«What»s that terrible epidemic in Cuba? Apparently, it«s chikungunya. It»s transmitted by mosquitoes. Fortunately, arboviruses are not transmitted through the respiratory tract. In the case of chikungunya, the vectors are two species of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus,« she says. »The bad thing about the chikungunya virus is that humans serve as its reservoir. There«s a sick person. A mosquito bites them, then flies and bites another person. That other person gets sick. To fight the virus, two things are done. First, isolate the person by placing them under a mosquito net. But that doesn»t mean they«re swaddled and prevented from moving. The net is large; you can even cover the entire room so that a mosquito doesn»t get in, bite that person, and then fly on.«
«It seems Cuba has problems with this: people are getting sick at home. That»s why the virus is spreading. The second method is exterminating mosquitoes and their larvae«s habitats, meaning puddles of water. This is being done,» says Ancha Baranova. «However, in November, Cuba was hit hard by a hurricane. After that, water was everywhere, and mosquitoes multiplied. Cuban doctors call the situation a »combination of arboviruses.« It»s not a hybrid virus. It«s just that some »got lucky« and caught chikungunya, some caught dengue, and some caught the Oropouche virus. And all of them are mosquito-borne.»
«Main Symptoms Are Fever and Severe Joint Pain»
The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) also warns that the chance of contracting chikungunya in Russia is small but not zero. And it can be brought to the region not only by tourists but also by visitors from countries where the fever is endemic. Moreover, law enforcement agencies reported in September, October, and November of last year on the detention of citizens from faraway Cuba who ended up in Volgograd. However, as it turns out, Cuba is far from the only country prone to such fevers, and the disease can be brought from various parts of the world.
«There is a risk of importing this infection from abroad,» reported the Volgograd Regional Office of Rospotrebnadzor. «Chikungunya fever is widespread in South and Southeast Asia; African countries south of the Sahara; the islands of the Indian Ocean; and Central and South America. In recent years, large epidemics of chikungunya fever have been recorded in India, Indonesia, the Comoros Islands, Réunion, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Madagascar. Cases of local transmission have begun to be noted in the Mediterranean region of Europe.»
To reduce the risk of infection, those traveling to countries endemic for chikungunya fever are advised to avoid insect bites: wear covering clothing, use repellents, use special screens on windows and doors, and use aerosols, fumigators, and other means intended for mosquito control indoors.
As added by Rospotrebnadzor, symptoms of the disease can appear almost immediately and up to two weeks after infection.
«The incubation period of the disease is usually from 3 to 12 days from the bite of an infected mosquito. In the acute form, the disease begins with a sharp rise in body temperature to 39–40 °C (102–104 °F) and severe joint pain. In addition, there may be asthenia, headache, lower back pain, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, rash, conjunctivitis,» Rospotrebnadzor reported. «The main symptoms of chikungunya fever are fever and severe joint pain. Joint damage is symmetrical, primarily affecting several joints of the hands and feet, manifesting as swelling, pain, and numbness.»
«The Pain Is So Bad It Literally Makes You Curl Up»
That this viral disease is not as easy to endure as it might seem and is not called «bone-breaking» for nothing was explained by Olga Chernyavskaya, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases with Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine at the Volgograd State Order of Honor Medical University.
«Chikungunya is a disease that belongs to the viral hemorrhagic fevers. It has another name — »bone-breaking fever« because the clinical picture is characterized by severe joint pain,» said Olga Chernyavskaya. «It is a natural focal infection that occurs in countries with a tropical climate. If we talk about who can bring it in, Cubans are not in first place. Yes, it occurs in Caribbean countries, but it is more widespread in Asian countries and some African countries. For example, in India, about a million people fall ill each year.»
As Olga Chernyavskaya explained, the sources of infection are animals: monkeys, bats, some rodents. They show no symptoms of the infection; they are carriers of the viruses. But infected people face real torment.
«Joint pain, especially in the knees, elbows, as well as in the hands, feet, and spine, is so severe that a person simply loses the ability to move, it hurts so much. Some relief is obtained with bent limbs,» said Olga Chernyavskaya. «In addition to these symptoms, a maculopapular rash may appear, and hemorrhagic syndrome may develop: hemorrhagic rashes on the skin and mucous membranes and bleeding.»
«Only Symptoms Can Be Treated Here»
Olga Chernyavskaya warns: there is no etiotropic treatment for chikungunya. What medications can help with, at least a little, is reducing fever and alleviating pain.
«There are no specific antiviral drugs for chikungunya. Pathogenetic and symptomatic treatment is used,» notes Olga Chernyavskaya. «That is, if there is high fever, they lower the temperature; if there is severe pain and inflammation, they carry out non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and detoxification therapy; and in case of hemorrhagic syndrome, hemostatic therapy. This treatment alleviates suffering and reduces the severity of symptoms. There are also fatal outcomes. Therefore, if, despite all the measures taken to protect against mosquito bites, after returning home from vacation, a fever suddenly appears, it is necessary to seek medical help and inform the doctor that you traveled abroad and specify exactly where.»
