Chikungunya: A Neglected Tropical Disease
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology - Year 2020, Vol 1, Issue 1
Abstract
Chikungunya, a mosquito-transmitted viral disease endemic to tropical regions is recurring in epidemic waves over the last 15 years, with outbreaks becoming increasingly severe, infecting over one million people annually and causing debilitating joint pain. The virus caused outbreaks throughout the world with an ability to spread to non-endemic areas. The Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) was first described during an outbreak in 1952 on the Makonde plateau, in the Newala district, along the border, between Mozambique and Tanganyika, the mainland part of modern-day Tanzania in East Africa. It was subsequently introduced into Asia and caused several periodical outbreaks in various African and South-East Asian countries (India and Thailand) since the 1960s. Though chikungunya virus was first isolated in 1952, its biology, transmission, and mechanism of pathogenesis has been poorly understood, and deserves more attention [1]. The name chikungunya is derived from the native makonde root verb or kimakonde word kungunyala, from Tanzania meaning “that which bends up”, “to become contorted”, or “to walk bent over”. Subsequently, several authors overlooked the references to the Makonde language and assumed the term have been derived from Swahili language, the lingua franca of the region [2]. Epidemics of chikungunya virus infection occurred in Africa, Thailand in 1958, and India, in Kolkata in 1963, and in South India 1964 (Pondicherry, Chennai, Vellore). The disease was endemic till 1973, along the East Coast of India and Maharashtra. Since then, it was clinically quiescent and no outbreaks were reported between 1973 and 2005, except for a few sporadic cases, which occurred in various places in the world including India (Maharashtra) [3].
Authors and Affiliations
Rajeshwar Reddy Kasarla
Keywords
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- EP ID EP699075
- DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.46889/JCIM.2020.1102
- Views 83
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