NEW DEADLY DISEASE IN MANZINI

MANZINI – A suspected case of a rare incurable disease called Chikungunya, which is caused by a mosquito bite, was identified in Manzini by an expatriate doctor about a month ago in one patient who later died.
However, it is uncertain if the patient died of this rare disease.

The symptoms of Chikungunya include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, rash, ulcers all over the body and peeling of the skin.
The name ‘Chikungunya’ is derived from the Makonde word meaning ‘that which bends’ in reference to the stooped posture developed as a result of the arthritic symptoms of the disease.
Dr Kazi Arif Uddin (51) from Welcare Medicine (Pty) Limited, known as House Call Doctor, who had diagnosed the man in Manzini with Chikungunya, is of the opinion that the disease is curable.

People at risk of contracting the disease are those who travel to Africa, parts of Central and South America and islands in the Indian Ocean, Western and South Pacific and the Caribbean.
It is a mystery how the Swazi man, in his 50s, might have contracted the disease as he had only travelled to California in the United States and was on transit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates about three months ago.
These countries are presumed free from Chikungunya.

It can be said though that the World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no cure for Chikungunya, a disease which was first detected in 1952 in Africa following an outbreak on the Mokonde Plateau.
This is a border area between Mozambique and Tanzania.
In Swahili this means ‘the illness of the bended walker’.

The virus is spread to humans by the bite of an infected female Aedes species mosquito – Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus.
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 Aedes aegypti will also readily feed indoors.

According to WHO, after the bite of an infected mosquito, onset of illness occurs usually between four and eight days but can range from 2 to 12 days.
In its recent communiqué to medical practitioners and member states, the WHO further advised that it was sometimes uneasy to detect Chikungunya because it shared some clinical signs with dengue - and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common. 

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: