Haiti - Health : Chikungunya, the number of cases greatly exceeds estimates
Dr. Jocelyne Brunache Pierre-Louis explained that under the national plan against chikungunya, established by the Government, fumigation continued in the West and are now extended in the 10 departments of country.
Since late May, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs (to treat symptoms) were distributed to all health centers. Public awareness activities for the respects of health advice in the mass media (radio spots, TV, press) will be intensified especially during the World Cup Football.
Recall that chikungunya can not be transmitted from person to person, but always via an infected mosquito and on the other hand, a person who has been the victim of chikungunya, is immune and can not contract the disease again.
Learn more about chikungunya :
The name chikungunya, of makondée origin, means "that curves, that huddles" or "the man bent disease" because the disease causes very severe joint pain associated with stiffness, which gives infected patients a curved characteristic attitude. Chikungunya (chik) is an infectious disease caused by an arbovirus of the family "Togaviridae" transmitted by mosquitoes. Several species of mosquitoes can transmit chikungunya, but only Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus have so far been identified as epidemic vectors, note that these species are also involved in the transmission of other arboviruses such as: dengue, dengue fever hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever, etc...
The first symptoms of the disease (incubation) occur 2-6 days after the person has been infected and starts suddenly with a high fever usually associated with severe joint pain and transient rash. These symptoms are sometimes accompanied by muscle aches, headaches, digestive disorders. Chikungunya is a disabling disease not only because of the pain but also due to fatigue it causes in more than half of the patients. In some patients, the effects, particularly rheumatological, may persist for several months or even several years. There is no effective drug against chikungunya. The treatment of the disease is only symptomatic and relies mainly on the administration of drugs painkillers and anti-inflammatory treatments. Diclofenac and Aspirin should be avoided because of the risk of hemorrhage.
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