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Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease first
described during an outbreak in southern Tanzania in
1952. The name ‘chikungunya’ derives from a word in the
Kimakonde language, meaning “to become contorted” and
describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain
(arthralgia).
Key facts
• Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans
by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint
pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache,
nausea, fatigue and rash.
• The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and
can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common.
• There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on
relieving the symptoms.
• The proximity of mosquito breeding sites to human
habitation is a significant risk factor for chikungunya.
• The disease occurs in Africa, Asia and the Indian
subcontinent. In recent decades mosquito vectors of
chikungunya have spread to Europe and the Americas. In
2007, disease transmission was reported for the first time
in a localized outbreak in north-eastern Italy.
Signs and symptoms
Chikungunya is characterized by an abrupt onset of fever
frequently accompanied by joint pain. Other common signs
and symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea,
fatigue and rash. The joint pain is often very debilitating, but
usually lasts for a few days or may be prolonged to weeks.
Most patients recover fully, but in some cases joint pain
may persist for several months, or even years. Occasional
cases of eye, neurological and heart
complications have been reported, as
well as gastrointestinal complaints.
Serious complications are not common,
but in older people, the disease can
contribute to the cause of death. Often
symptoms in infected individuals
are mild and the infection may go
unrecognized, or be misdiagnosed in
areas where dengue occurs.
Transmission
The virus is transmitted from human to
human by the bites of infected female
mosquitoes. Most commonly, the
mosquitoes involved are Aedes aegypti
and Aedes albopictus, two species
which can also transmit dengue.
These mosquitoes can be found biting
throughout daylight hours, though there may be peaks of
activity in the early morning and late afternoon. Both species
are found biting outdoors, but Ae. aegypti will also readily
feed indoors.
After the bite of an infected mosquito, onset of illness occurs
usually between 4-8 days but can range from 2-12 days.
Treatment
There is no specific antiviral drug treatment for
Chikungunya. Treatment is directed primarily at relieving the
symptoms.There is no commercial chikungunya vaccine.
Prevention and control
The proximity of mosquito vector breeding sites to human
habitation is a significant risk factor. Prevention and control
relies heavily on reducing the number of natural and
artificial water-filled container habitats that support breeding.
For protection, clothing which minimizes skin exposure
to the day-biting vectors is advised. Repellents can be
applied to exposed skin or to clothing. For those who sleep
during the daytime - young children, sick or older people,
insecticide treated mosquito nets afford good protection.
Mosquito coils or other insecticide vaporizers may also
reduce indoor biting.
Source: World Health Organization
these wants, and he seethes with rage
and aggressiveness, which would be
murderous, were he not so helpless.
He is dirty. He has no morals, no
knowledge, no skills. This means that
all children, not just certain children,
are born delinquent. If permitted to
continue in the self-centered world
of his infancy, given free reign to his
impulsive actions to satisfy his wants,
every child would grow up a criminal,
a thief, a killer, a rapist.”
This ungodly, evil and rebellious nature
cannot be regenerated or renewed
by psychology, sociology, or even
theology, but only through confession
and acceptance of all that the Bible
declares about Jesus Christ. (Romans
10: 8-10) When man fully accepts the
biblical declaration of the Person and
work of Jesus Christ, he becomes a
new creation. In other words his inner
being is re-born with an entirely new
nature. No longer is he in bondage
to the ungodly disposition absolutely
weighted towards evil. He is now
able to respond to the imperatives
for life in a God-pleasing manner. As
a matter of fact, this is the essential
reason for the intervention of the Lord
Jesus Christ into the world, that man
may experience this new life which is
free from the pervasive and corrupting
bondage of sin.
Now, although man’s rebellious and
ungodly nature cannot be renewed or
regenerated through human initiatives,
it is possible for it to be restrained and
controlled to an acceptable degree. In
other words the rebellious nature can
be tamed to an extent that will allow
for the development of a relatively
peaceful, safe and secure society
Towards this end a fundamental
work of any government is to give
leadership in collating, analyzing and
subsequently the implementing of
strategies for the restraining and the
taming of man’s ungodly and rebellious
nature – ‘the Tiger in man’s tank.’ Now
although a tiger is tamed and trained
it still retains its beast like nature, so if
the controlling conditions are relaxed
its vicious disposition will be readily
evident. God gave human government
the responsibility and authority to
implement strategies, which will
restrain the rebellious disposition of
man, to punish deviant behaviour,
and to promote the formation of a just
society.
At this stage it seems that unless
strategies are conceptualized and
implemented with an affirmative action
mindset the foreseeable future of
thousands is hopeless.
The present unacceptable situation
concerning crime offers a great
opportunity to unite the country.
The political leadership must strive
to mobilize the respective sectors of
the society and to challenge them
as responsible citizens to rally to the
need of Trinidad and Tobago as it reels
under this vicious criminal onslaught.
Chikungunya
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