Chikungunya and Dengue

In the recent months, Chikungunya and Dengue have been creating mess in the certain parts of the country. As per the World Health Organization, “in the recent years, globalization of travel and trade, unplanned urbanization and environmental challenges including climate change has had a significant impact on transmission of vector-borne disease.”
The number of deaths from these two vector-borne diseases has been rising every day. Both of these viral infections are caused by Aedes mosquito and involves almost similar symptoms. Both diseases can also present as co-infection, that is both Dengue and Chikungunya may occur at the same time. However, it is important to identify the exact diseases as Dengue might require medical intervention. In Chikungunya, the viral incubation period is 3–7 days (range: 2–12 days) and for Dengue virus, it is 4–7 days (range: 3–14 days). Chikungunya and Dengue are both acute febrile illnesses presented by fever, lethargy and myalgia. Symptoms may also involve maculopapular rash, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Distinguishing features of Chikungunya are potentially debilitating bilateral polyarthralgia and, in some cases, arthritis. Common symptoms of Dengue include severe sweating, joint pain, appetite loss, skin rashes, swelling on hands and soles of feet, joints pain, nausea and vomiting. Dengue can be life threatening due to situation called as Dengue hemorrhagic fever.
Currently, there is no specific treatment available for Dengue and Chikungunya. Rehydration should be taken care in all cases of fever. Patients with severe Dengue should be treated with parenteral rehydration and platelet transfusion. Currently there are no vaccines available for Dengue or Chikungunya. There are a number of vaccines in clinical trials and we can expect vaccines for Dengue and Chikungunya in the near future.
As Dengue fever is caused by a virus, there is no specific medicine or antibiotic to treat it. Here DR BEST’s Eziplus helps the patients to get relief from its signs and symptoms. We wish all of you to be safe and protected from mosquitoes and get great health.