Chikungunya fever
is caused by infection of an Arbovirus, known as CHIKV. Other similar arboviruses cause dengue and West Nile fever. It is primarily transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes, specifically the species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito. It exists most notably in Africa, Asia and areas within Europe.
The Human Stage - Initial Infection
The bite of a female Anopheles mosquito introduces the virus into the bloodstream of the host. The virus will then fuse to the plasma membrane of permissive cells in the host.
The Cellular Stage
The virus will then enter into the cytoplasm of the cell and proceed to the nucleus. The virus enters the nucleus and deposits genetic material. The virus then replicates its genome within the nucleus. Once complete, virus particles will leave the cell, entering into the surrounding tissues and infecting other cells within the host. This is a cyclical process.
The Infectious Stage
Once the virus has proliferated throughout the body, and exists freely throughout the bloodstream, the host can then be considered infective. The virus is then transmitted to the vector, through a blood meal.
The Mosquito Stage
When a mosquito feeds on blood from an infected host, the virus will travel to the insect's mid-gut. There it will reproduce, then migrate to the mosquito's salivary glands. When the mosquito bites a new host, it will transmit the disease through its saliva into the wound, thereby starting the life cycle again.
Signs and Symptoms
Chikungunya fever generally presents with the characteristic fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, body and joint pain, and general malaise. The illness lasts anywhere from days to several weeks. Sometimes individuals infected with the Chikungunya virus may be completely asymptomatic.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Initial diagnosis can be made by observing the clinical manifestations of the disease, with confirmation of the diagnosis through microscopic examination of the blood of the infected host.
Currently there is no cure for Chikungunya fever. The disease is generally self-limiting and fatalities are few. Treatment is largely palliative, including rest, analgesics to reduce pain and anti-fever medications.
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