CHIKUNGUNYA DISEASE

Symptoms, Treatment, And Prevention Of Chikungunya Disease

Chikungunya fever is a viral disease caused by a type of alphavirus that is spread by the bite of mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti. Its name comes from a word in the Makonde language which means "curved upward", referring to the body that bends due to arthritis symptoms of this disease.

Symptoms of Chikungunya

The main symptoms of Chikungunya disease is the body suddenly felt a fever followed by rheumatic pain in joints . In fact , as one of the typical symptoms is the emergence of a sense of fatigue , pain , pain also arises in the bones , some call it a bone fever or flu- bone . The symptoms are similar to dengue virus infection with a slight difference in certain things . This virus is transferred from one patient to another patient through the mosquito , Aedes aegypti , among others . virus transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito will breed in the human body . virus attacks all ages , both children and adults in endemic areas . Patients will experience a sudden high fever for five days , so it is also known term fever five days . In young children begins with sudden onset of fever , skin redness . Red rash that appears after 3-5 days . Red eye usually accompanied by flu-like signs . Febrile seizures are common child . In older children , fever is usually followed by pain in muscles and joints , and enlarged lymph nodes . In adults , the symptoms of joint and muscle pain is dominant and to cause temporary paralysis due to pain when walking . Sometimes arise nausea to vomiting . In general fever in children only lasts for three days with no or very little bleeding and shock encountered . The difference with dengue fever , chikungunya there in severe bleeding , shock and death .

In lndonesian, Chikungunya fever was first reported in 1973 in Samarinda. Then outbreak in Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, 1980. Further spread Martapura 1983, Ternate and Yogyakarta. After vacuum nearly 20 years, beginning in 2001 an outbreak of chikungunya fever occurred in Muara Enim, South Sumatra and Aceh. Bogor followed in October. Chikungunya fever outbreak then again in Bekasi (West Java), Purworedjo and Klaten (Central Java) in 2002.

Prevention of Chikungunya

The only way to avoid this disease is to avoid / eradicate mosquitoes carrying the virus. These mosquitoes like to live and breed in stagnant water such as bathtubs, vases of flowers, and also cans or bottles that hold water clean. Black and white patterned insect is also happy to live in objects such as hanging clothes in the back of the bedroom door. In addition, these mosquitoes also like dark and stuffy place.

Chikungunya Treatment

There is no vaccine or specific drug for chikungunya. Simply taking symptomatic medications (relief of symptoms) as a febrifuge or pain relievers. Importantly enough rest, drink, and nutritious food. Chikungunya virus is a self-limiting disease including alias will disappear by itself. However, the pain will still be there in a matter of weeks.

For patients with Chikungunya, it is advisable to eat nutritious foods, especially carbohydrates and sufficient protein and drink as much as possible. Expand consume fresh fruits. We recommend drinking fresh fruit juice. After over five days, the fever gradually subsided, feeling pain or pain in the joints and muscles is reduced, and the sufferer will be cured as before. Endurance-enhancing vitamins are also useful for dealing with this disease. Endurance is good and adequate rest can make sense of pain in the joints quickly disappear. Drinking lots of water is also recommended for the relief of symptoms of fever.