Violent joint pain tiger mosquito transmits chikungunya virus

Attention vacationers: Tigermücke transfers Chikungunya
When the joints ache with every movement, this is sometimes interpreted as rheumatoid arthritis. However, such complaints may also be due to an infection on holiday, which is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito: The Chikungunya fever.

Joint pain after travel abroad
When people suffer from swelling and pain in the joints, it may indicate rheumatoid arthritis. For those who have just traveled abroad, the complaints can also be an indication of the dangerous infectious disease Chikungunya. According to a message from the dpa news agency, the Association of German Rheumatologists (BDRh) said that the symptoms of chronic arthritis and chikungunya are similar.

Effective remedy against mosquitoes. Image: claffra / fotolia

Infectious disease has spread further
The infection transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito has so far mainly occurred in eastern and southern Africa, on the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia. However, it is now spreading to the islands in the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and South America. For example, just a few months ago, the Andean state of Bolivia triggered an alarm about the disease. Even in Europe, a regionally limited outbreak of Chikunguny fever already occurred. In 2007, around 200 people fell ill in the Italian province of Ravenna. At that time, the virus was probably introduced by a traveler.

Complaints can last for months
The disease is often described as a blend of osteoarthritis and the flu. Infected people suffer from symptoms such as severe headaches, joint and limb pain. Even complaints such as swelling of the lymph nodes, itching rash, mucosal bleeding or gastrointestinal complaints may occur. The initial fever in Chikungunya disappears in most cases after a few days. However, the arthritis-like symptoms can often last for months. Even if an infection heals itself, it can be very tedious. So far, there is neither a vaccine nor a causal therapy. So all you have to do is protect yourself from mosquito bites, for example with the help of mosquito repellents or mosquito nets. (Ad)

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