By Kathy Sinkin, RN, CDE
I recently went on a family vacation to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Before we left, there were warnings of outbreaks of something we never heard of before, the Chikungunya Virus. This virus is transmitted through infected mosquitoes.
According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), the outbreaks originated in Africa, Asia and Europe, but through infected travelers the virus was headed for the Caribbean. The government of the Dominican Republic began to heavily spray all of the popular tourist areas with insecticides in an effort to prevent the virus.
The CDC lists the symptoms of Chikungunya as fever and severe joint pain of the hands and feet that begin 3-7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Other symptoms may include muscle pain, headache, joint swelling and rash. There is no vaccine or medication to prevent or treat it at this time. Before we left we packed a lot of insect repellent that contained DEET and sprayed ourselves several times a day. I am happy to say that none of us contracted the virus.
Recently however, there have been reported cases in the United States from travelers coming here from the infected areas who contracted the virus. So what are we to do? If you experience any of the above symptoms you should seek medical help. The CDC recommends decreasing the symptoms by getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids to prevent dehydration and taking medications to prevent fever and pain.
For more information go to cdc.gov.
Kathy Sinkin is a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program.