What are the symptoms and implications of Chikungunya fever?
Chikungunya fever was first described in East Africa in the 1950’s. Today, the distribution area of the disease reaches from eastern and southern Africa over the Indian subcontinent and to Southeast Asia. Currently, the tiger mosquitoes and their close relatives, the Yellow fever mosquitoes, which are not yet found in Europe, are the only definite carriers of this virus that have been observed. Chikungunya is a word from the Tanzanian language that means “that which bends up” or “that which contorts”. The infected person normally has a rapidly increasing high fever. Severe joint and muscle pains cause extreme sensibility to where the individual can barely hold an erect position. The fever usually lasts only a couple of days. Normally, the illness simply runs its course and the symptoms begin to subside after approximately one to two weeks, unless complications occur. Consistent complications and deaths are rare. There is no vaccination currently available. After overcoming the disease,
