No mystery surrounds 'chikungunya' disease

No mystery surrounds 'chikungunya' disease

Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Chiku-what? Is that Sundanese?"

A fair enough question coming from someone who knows nothing
about the so called "mysterious" disease currently spreading
through West Java and parts of East Java and North Sulawesi.

Actually the chikungunya disease is far from local. First
recognized in epidemic form in East Africa in 1952, it has
continued to cause major epidemics in Africa, India and Southeast
Asia.

In Indonesia, the disease -- also known as epidemic
polyarthritis and rash, and buggy creek virus -- was first
reported in 1973 in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, then in 1980 in
Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, 1983 in Martapura, Ternate, and in
Yogyakarta, according to the Kompas daily newspaper.

After a hiatus of almost 20 years, chikungunya broke out again
in early 2001 in Muara Enim, South Sulawesi, and Aceh, then in
October of the same year in Bogor, West Java. Last year, the
epidemic struck Bekasi in West Java, and Purworejo and Klaten in
Central Java.

The name of the disease itself, chikungunya, is Swahili for
"that which contorts or bends up", referring to the contorted
posture of patients afflicted with the disease's common symptom,
severe joint pain (arthralgia).

Having similar symptoms to dengue fever, chikungunya however
is characterized by a briefer episode of fever, persistent
arthralgia is some cases, and by the absence of deaths.

According to Health Canada on its website www.hc-sc.gc.ca,
chikungunya is a self-limiting febrile virus that is transmitted
-- just like dengue -- through the bite of an infective Aedes
aegypti or Aedes africanus mosquito.

After an incubation period of three to 12 days, there will be
a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms including severe headaches,
chills, fever, joint pain, nausea and vomiting.

Arthralgia or arthritis typically in the knee, ankle, and
small joints of the extremities may occur, sometimes followed by
a maculopapular rash on the trunk and limbs. Hemorrhaging is rare
but may occur in children, in addition they may also display
neurological symptoms.

Thomas Suroso, the Ministry of Health's director of control
for animal-related diseases, said the illness tended to last
three to 10 days, with the arthralgias remaining a problem for
weeks to several months after the initial phase.

"Take analgesics and painkillers, which can be bought at a
warung (kiosk). The important thing is having enough rest and eat
nutritious foods," he said, as quoted by Kompas. Anticonvulsants
may also be prescribed by doctors, and mild exercise is
recommended to improve arthralgia.

The virus itself can be killed by common disinfectants such as
70 percent ethanol, one percent sodium hypochlorite, two percent
glutaraldehyde, lipid solvents, as well as by moist heat and
drying.

Since there is currently no antiviral available, prevention of
the disease focuses at controlling mosquitoes and avoiding
mosquito bites.