Chikungunya in the Caribbean: It's been here before.

Chikungunya in the Caribbean: It's been here before.HT: Crof.

Via Emerging Infectious Diseases: Reappearance of Chikungunya, Formerly Called Dengue, in the Americas. The abstract:

After an absence of ≈200 years, chikungunya returned to the American tropics in 2013. The virus is maintained in a complex African zoonotic cycle but escapes into an urban cycle at 40- to 50-year intervals, causing global pandemics. 

In 1823, classical chikungunya, a viral exanthem in humans, occurred on Zanzibar, and in 1827, it arrived in the Caribbean and spread to North and South America. In Zanzibar, the disease was known as kidenga pepo, Swahili for a sudden cramp-like seizure caused by an evil spirit; in Cuba, it was known as dengue, a Spanish homonym of denga. 

During the eighteenth century, dengue (present-day chikungunya) was distinguished from breakbone fever (present-day dengue), another febrile exanthem. In the twentieth century, experiments resulted in the recovery and naming of present-day dengue viruses. 

In 1952, chikungunya virus was recovered during an outbreak in Tanzania, but by then, the virus had lost its original name to present-day dengue viruses.

How far spread is chikungunya in Mexico?

How far spread is chikungunya in Mexico? HT: Crof.

A reader wrote this morning to ask about the possible presence of chikungunya in Cancún—likely a concern of many people who like to head south in winter.

A quick scan of Mexican media in the state of Quintana Roo turned up no reports of the disease, but a Spanish-language December 26 report in Quequi.com.mx says anti-mosquito spraying is being conducted from the air to fight both dengue and chikungunya.

While Quintana Roo seems free of both imported and local chikungunya cases, it's now in the nearby state of Chiapas; it seems only a matter of time before it's widespread in southern Mexico.

Chikungunya rages in French Polynesia, Caribbean.

Chikungunya rages in French Polynesia, Caribbean. HT: Crof.

Via Radio New Zealand News: Chikungunya rages in French Polynesia.

Health authorities in French Polynesia now say at least 35,000 people have now been infected with the chikungunya virus since the outbreak began in Tahiti in early October.   

They say the virus which is passed between people by mosquito bites has also led to the deaths of five people, including a newborn baby. 

The number of people with the illness is growing rapidly in the territory, with 7,000 new cases reported in the past two days. 

Three patients have been diagnosed with the serious neurological condition, Guillain-Barre syndrome, following chikungunya. 

Most patients with chikungunya have recovered within a few days following high fevers and joint pain but those with Guillain-Barre may have symptoms for several months.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet chikungunya continues to spread in the Caribbean—including 20,000 cases in Curaçao and others in Trinidad & Tobago and Costa Rica

Update: Integral Molecular IDs human antibodies that fight Chikungunya virus.

Chikungunya in the Americas: Might as well call it a million cases (or more)

Chikungunya in the Americas: Might as well call it a million cases (or more). HT: CROF.

PAHO has published a December 5 update on its Chikungunya page.

We are now at week 49, and as usual many of the countries are weeks or months behind: Haiti has stood its ground since week 28 (64,695 suspected cases), when the real total must be at least an order of magnitude higher.

Still we learn that as of week 49 the US had 11 local cases and 1,900 imported cases. 

The Dominican Republic, as of week 41, has 498,916 cases. El Salvador, on the American mainland, had 135,226 cases as of week 47.

 

All told, PAHO says, we have 975,678 suspected cases in the Americas, plus 18,892 that people took the trouble to confirm. 

 

ECDC reported the first autochthonous chikungunya cases in the Americas on December 20. The virus deserves our congratulations, however grudging, for having made so much of its opportunity in one short year. 

 

For its reporting on chikungunya, however, PAHO does not.

Just imagine once it starts spreading in the US!

Eurosurveillance: "Unprecedented" concurrent outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, Zika virus in the Pacific

Eurosurveillance: "Unprecedented" concurrent outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, Zika virus in the Pacific. HT: Crof.

Via Eurosurveillance: Concurrent outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections - unprecedented epidemic wave of mosquito-borne viruses in the Pacific 2012-2014. The abstract:

Since January 2012, the Pacific Region has experienced 28 new documented outbreaks and circulation of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus. 

These mosquito-borne disease epidemics seem to become more frequent and diverse, and it is likely that this is only the early stages of a wave that will continue for several years. 

Improved surveillance and response measures are needed to mitigate the already heavy burden on island health systems and limit further spread to other parts of the world. 

Hmmm....In case you are wondering which mosquitoes carry Chikungunya....The same type that carry West Nile virus, north America be warned!

Hmmm....I've been posting quite a bit about Chikungunya these last months because i see a huge threat to the US, when this arrives in the US Wetlands. More on chik-V here and here.

PAHO: Almost 800,000 chikungunya case as of October 17 (it says here)

The Pan American Health Organization has posted its regular Friday update on chikungunya in the Caribbean and neighboring nations. 

We are now up to epidemiological week 42, but some countries are weeks if not months behind. If not for Ebola taking all the attention, this would be a big scandal.


The regional total is 759,742 suspected cases, plus 12,327 confirmed, plus 1,708 imported. But the Dominican Republic is still at week 38 (486,306 suspected cases, just 84 confirmed). Next door, Haiti hasn't bothered to report since week 28, so we know of only 64,695 cases when the true number must be closer to a million.

So it goes, week after week with no explanation. Download the PDF if you like, but don't bother to print it out. Paper is more valuable.

Jamaica: 10-year-old dies from chikungunya complications.

Jamaica: 10-year-old dies from chikungunya complications. HT: Crof.

Chikungunya continues to spread in the Caribbean. The Jamaicans are taking it especially badly, and have invented their own term for it. Via the Jamaica Observer: 10-year-old dies from ChikV complications.

A 10-year-old student of the Alpha Primary School in Kingston died Friday as a result of complications brought on by the chikungunya virus, the Education Ministry has confirmed. 

A ministry release Friday afternoon said that Akaliah Anderson, who had reported to school for only one day (September 1, 2014), had revealed symptoms of the chikungunya virus. 

It was reported that her condition had not improved and she was subsequently admitted to the hospital. She reportedly developed further complications including a swollen spleen and liver. 

Little Akaliah died Friday. 

The Education Ministry said it was saddened by Akaliah’s death and extended condolences to her family and school community.  

A team of counsellors from the ministry will be providing emotional support to Akaliah’s family, students, teachers and administrative staff at the institution, the release said. 

“This incident brings into sharp focus the need for school administrators, parents and the entire citizenry of Jamaica to begin the clean-up process in our communities – home, school, workplaces – in order to eliminate the spread of the ChikV caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes,” Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said.

Hmmm....I've been posting quite a bit about Chikungunya these last months because i see a huge threat to the US, when this arrives in the US Wetlands. More on chik-V here and here.

Update:

PAHO: Almost 800,000 chikungunya case as of October 17 (it says here)

The Pan American Health Organization has posted its regular Friday update on chikungunya in the Caribbean and neighboring nations. 

We are now up to epidemiological week 42, but some countries are weeks if not months behind. If not for Ebola taking all the attention, this would be a big scandal.


The regional total is 759,742 suspected cases, plus 12,327 confirmed, plus 1,708 imported. But the Dominican Republic is still at week 38 (486,306 suspected cases, just 84 confirmed). Next door, Haiti hasn't bothered to report since week 28, so we know of only 64,695 cases when the true number must be closer to a million.

So it goes, week after week with no explanation. Download the PDF if you like, but don't bother to print it out. Paper is more valuable.