In an update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week, there has been a total of 55 chikungunya virus disease cases that have been reported to ArboNET from 14 U.S. states, as of Mar. 10.
Of the 55 travel associated cases seen this year, 60 percent of cases are from three states–Florida, New York and Maryland.
No locally-transmitted cases have been reported from U.S. states.
Chikungunya became a nationally notifiable disease in the United States in 2015.
Last year, there were 2,481 travel associated cases reported from all states except, North Dakota, Wyoming and Alaska. Eleven locally-transmitted cases were reported from Florida.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. It can cause high fever, join and muscle pain, and headache. Chikungunya does not often result in death, but the joint pain may last for months or years and may become a cause ofchronic pain and disability.
There is no specific treatment for chikungunya infection, nor any vaccine to prevent it. Pending the development of a new vaccine, the only effective means of prevention is to protect individuals against mosquito bites.
The total suspected and confirmed chikungunya cases reported in the Western hemisphere since the 1st autochthonous cases were reported in St Martin in Dec. 2013 now stands at 1,256,430.
It seems that after a business trip to Trinidad, I got infected and joint pain everywhere in body becoming unbearable.
Taking anti inflammation and creams is not helping. I am 38 male and been very active and now can’t move.
Please advise.