An individual residing within the suburbs of New York Metropolis has examined optimistic for chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus that’s extra typically seen in South America and hasn’t been transmitted on the U.S. mainland in a decade.
Well being officers mentioned the virus, which regularly causes fever and joint ache, was recognized in a affected person on Lengthy Island who began experiencing signs in August after having traveled outdoors of the area, however not overseas.
The affected person doubtless received the virus from a mosquito chunk, but it surely is not clear the place that occurred. The virus has not been detected in native mosquito swimming pools and is not unfold instantly from one particular person to a different.
Here is what to learn about chikungunya:
What’s chikungunya?
Chikungunya is a illness brought on by a virus of the identical identify.
The chikungunya virus was first recognized in folks sickened throughout an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952. Its identify is derived from a phrase within the Makonde language, which suggests “that which bends up,” as a result of extreme ache it may well trigger.
Chikungunya is transmitted by contaminated mosquitoes and largely causes gentle signs. The bulk of people that get chikungunya get better without having medical consideration after one to 2 weeks.
What are the signs of chikungunya?
Chikungunya sometimes produces signs together with fever, muscle ache, nausea, fatigue and a rash.
However in uncommon circumstances, it may well trigger debilitating joint ache that persists for months and even years. Sufferers who get severely ailing typically require hospitalization due to the danger of organ harm.
The World Well being Group says extreme circumstances and deaths are uncommon and largely happen in infants or aged folks with underlying well being situations.
Is there a therapy or vaccine?
There isn’t any particular therapy for chikungunya, however well being staff can deal with the signs by giving medicines to decrease fevers or ease muscle ache.
Two vaccines have been accredited in a number of areas, together with Britain, Brazil, Canada and Europe. These are largely focused at vacationers and are usually not broadly out there within the international locations most affected by chikungunya.
The place does chikungunya usually happen?
Chikungunya causes common outbreaks in Africa, Asia and the Americas, with occasional small epidemics in Europe.
As of August, there have been about 317,000 circumstances of chikungunya this 12 months, together with 135 deaths in 16 international locations and territories, in keeping with the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Management. The international locations that reported the best variety of infections had been Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru.
What’s taking place in america?
The case confirmed in New York was the primary regionally acquired occasion in america since 2015, that means the particular person was contaminated with out touring elsewhere. Ten years in the past, one particular person was contaminated in Texas, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Two circumstances had been recorded in U.S. territories in 2019.
It is the primary time {that a} regionally acquired case has ever been detected in New York, the state Well being Division mentioned.
Well being officers mentioned the virus could be transmitted when a mosquito bites an contaminated traveler, turns into contaminated and bites one other particular person.
The kind of mosquito identified to transmit chikungunya, the Aedes albopictus mosquito, is current in elements of downstate New York, and folks ought to take care to keep away from being bitten by carrying lengthy sleeves and eradicating standing water from issues like flowerpots, well being officers mentioned.
Nevertheless, colder nighttime temperatures presently being recorded in New York make the transmission threat within the space “very low,” state Well being Commissioner James McDonald mentioned in a press release.
Though regionally acquired circumstances have been nearly nonexistent lately, the CDC has tracked quite a few travel-related infections within the U.S., together with 199 in 2024 and 152 in 2023, in keeping with company information.
Are we seeing extra chikungunya outbreaks?
Sure.
The variety of outbreaks has elevated since 2000, simply as there have been extra outbreaks of different mosquito-transmitted illnesses like dengue and Zika, in keeping with Robert Jones, an assistant professor on the London Faculty of Hygiene and Tropical Medication.
Jones mentioned in a press release that in 2013, chikungunya was first seen within the island of St. Martin and that over the subsequent three years, circumstances had been confirmed in virtually 50 international locations within the Caribbean and the Americas, with greater than 1 million suspected circumstances.
Jones mentioned the danger of chikungunya epidemics has risen on account of local weather change and concrete growth.
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The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives help from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Division of Science Schooling and the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis. The AP is solely answerable for all content material.
