Medicines for Chikungunya

What it is

Chikungunya is a viral infection spread by the bites of infected mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and some islands. In the UK it is seen in returning travellers. Its hallmark is the sudden onset of a high fever together with joint pain, which is often severe and can affect several joints (the name comes from a word meaning "to become contorted", reflecting the posture caused by the joint pain). Other symptoms can include muscle aches, headache, tiredness, nausea and a rash. Most people recover within a week or two, and it is rarely fatal, but the joint pain can occasionally persist for weeks, months or longer in some people, which is a notable feature. It can be more serious in newborns, older people, and those with other health conditions. Because its symptoms overlap with dengue and other tropical infections, it is diagnosed with the travel history and blood tests.

How it is treated

There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya, so care is supportive while the illness settles: rest, plenty of fluids, and pain relief for the fever and joint pain — with paracetamol used first, and, as with dengue, care taken with anti-inflammatory painkillers until dengue (which can look similar and increases bleeding risk) has been excluded. Most people recover fully within a couple of weeks. For the minority with persistent joint pain, ongoing symptom management and, sometimes, specialist input help. Because there is no widely available preventive vaccine in routine use for most travellers, the main protection is avoiding mosquito bites in affected areas — using insect repellent, covering up, and using nets — noting that the mosquitoes that spread chikungunya (and dengue) often bite during the day. The reassuring message is that chikungunya is usually a self-limiting illness that people recover from, though the joint pain can be troublesome and occasionally lingers, and preventing mosquito bites is the key protection.