Chikungunya and dengue are both tropical diseases transmitted by mosquito bites, but recent studies show that one is often misdiagnosed as the other and that as chikungunya spreads its global reach, the spread of chikungunya is increasing. It can obscure the spread. Here’s what you need to know to spot similar symptoms of these diseases.
In a study now published online in BMC Infectious Disease, a team of scientists from various international organizations created a global map of the areas susceptible to both chikungunya and dengue outbreaks and mapped the disease geographically. Enclose boundaries and better understand the potential for future outbreaks. The team found that the number of countries reporting dengue cases was disproportionately higher than those reporting chikungunya, even though both diseases are transmitted by the same vector, Aedes aegypti. For example, 154 countries reported dengue transmission, but only 99 reported chikungunya. Researchers believe population misdiagnosis underlies this disparity, suggesting that doctors may be diagnosing dengue in too many cases. Or in countries historically suffering from dengue epidemics, clinicians tend not to confirm the diagnosis in the laboratory. Chikungunya and dengue present with very similar symptoms in the acute phase.Centers for Disease Control and both present with fever, rash, and joint pain about a week after the initial infection.
“The difference between the two is joint pain. In adults, arthritis can last for months. Jay S. Keystone at a conference on childhood infectious diseases sponsored by Children’s Hospital of Colorado, according to an ACEP report.
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There is no cure for either disease, but the researchers say that as chikungunya fever spreads rapidly worldwide, such diagnostic issues could obscure the true public health impact of the disease. Their research calls for more precise diagnostic procedures to prevent this.
source: medicaldaily & Furuya-Kanamori L, Liang S, Milinovich G, et al.Co-distribution and co-infection of chikungunya and dengue viruses. BMC Infectious Diseases.
