Doctor Pham Thu Phuong of the Musculoskeletal Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, stated that joint pain or inflammation often occurs during the acute phase of Chikungunya. Patients experience high fever, joint pain or inflammation, maculopapular rash, headaches, and muscle aches lasting from a few days to several weeks.
The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Togaviridae family and the Alphavirus genus, transmitted to humans through Aedes mosquitoes. Upon entering human cartilage, muscle, and bone cells, the Chikungunya virus causes acute infectious arthritis. Unlike chronic arthritis, which typically progresses gradually and causes localized pain in certain joints, acute infectious arthritis causes sudden pain and swelling in multiple joints throughout the body, accompanied by a high fever, exceeding 38.5 degrees Celsius.
Symptoms of acute Chikungunya-induced infectious arthritis usually appear 4-8 days after viral infection through a mosquito bite. The illness often resolves on its own within the following 5-14 days, but some patients experience arthritis symptoms for more than 3 months after the acute illness onset. At this point, the condition develops into chronic Chikungunya arthritis.
Patients with chronic Chikungunya arthritis may experience chronic muscle and joint pain, synovitis, and plantar fasciitis. In some cases, multiple joints are irreparably damaged, leading to disability.
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Technician using the RT-PCR system to identify the virus. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital |
Technician using the RT-PCR system to identify the virus. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital
Chikungunya is spreading in many countries. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has recorded over 240,000 infections with 90 deaths in at least 16 countries and territories across 4 continents since the beginning of the year. Vietnam has not yet recorded any Chikungunya cases. However, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, serological studies suggest that the disease has circulated in the community, indicating a risk of re-emergence.
There is currently no specific treatment for Chikungunya. According to Doctor Le Xuan Luat of the General Internal Medicine Department, Chikungunya treatment mainly involves fever reducers and pain relievers. If dengue fever is ruled out, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be prescribed. For chronic Chikungunya arthritis, patients are treated with NSAIDs according to a specific protocol.
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Doctor Phuong advises patients on Chikungunya virus prevention measures. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital |
Doctor Phuong advises patients on Chikungunya virus prevention measures. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital
Doctor Phuong recommends that people take preventive measures against Chikungunya. When traveling or working in high-risk areas, avoid mosquito bites and actively monitor your health for 12 days after returning. If any unusual signs such as sudden high fever, joint pain, or rash appear, seek immediate medical attention for examination, consultation, and timely treatment.
Ensure a clean living environment and wear long clothing to prevent mosquito bites, even during the day, as Aedes mosquitoes are active throughout the day, especially in the early morning after sunrise and in the late afternoon before sunset. At night, people should use mosquito nets while sleeping and can use additional tools like mosquito swatters and mosquito lamps to help eliminate mosquitoes.
Currently, two Chikungunya vaccines have been approved in the US, but they are only recommended for at-risk populations in a few countries and are not yet widely available.
Thanh Long
