Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: May | Volume: 7 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 23-30
Prospective Study of Clinical Features and Sequelae of Suspected Cases of Chikungunya Fever Admitted in Urban Areas of Central India
Meenal Thakare1, Ravleen Kaur Bakshi2, Vikas D Sharma3, K.M. Raul3, M.K.Doibale4
1Assistant Professor, 2Demonstrator,
Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital Sector -32, Chandigarh;
3Department of Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Missions Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad;
4Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Nanded
Corresponding Author: Ravleen Kaur Bakshi
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The fever epidemic that started in 2005-2006 in India was of re-emerging disease Chikungunya occurring after a gap of 32 years. Chikungunya fever is an arthropod-borne viral infection caused by Alphavirus and transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Objectives of the study: This study was done to evaluate the clinical features of the suspected cases of Chikungunya fever admitted/attended in Out Patient Department (OPD) in the institution and also, to find the sequelae of joint involvement of suspected cases at the end of 6 months. Basic procedures and methodology: It is a follow-up done among the patients admitted/attended in OPD, who were more than 12 years of age with symptoms of Chikungunya and who gave their consent; attending three different hospitals were selected by systematic random sampling for the study during one year of study period. Total enumeration of all the patients was done. Suspected cases of Chikungunya fever are interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire for data collection and were examined clinically in detail and were given treatment. Routine investigations were done in all indoor patients and selected OPD patients. Serological test for Chikungunya virus in all the suspected cases was not feasible. Hundred patients could be made available for follow up. The analysis of follow-up patients was done accordingly to know the sequelae of Chikungunya. The collected data was tabulated and analyzed using Epi-info software. Chi-squared test was used as tests of significance. P value of < 0.05 was considered significant. The ethical clearance was taken from the institution to conduct the study.
Results: Total numbers of patients were 1056 with 423 males and 633 females. The male to female ratio is 1:1.5. The maximum numbers of cases were in the age group of 20-29 yrs (25%) in which females predominate (16% with p<0.05).In present study it was found that headache [92.99%], backache [84.75%] and pharyngitis [88.06%] were the three main prodromal symptoms. In the present study, we found that joint affection was seen in all cases [100%].
Conclusion: In this era of travel and globalization, Chikungunya is an important differential diagnosis of febrile polyarthralgia and the health experts should empower with knowledge of control and prevention strategies to avoid its epidemic. There appears a gap in the knowledge about natural history of the disease, data on activities during inter-epidemic period, and extra human spread.
Key words: Epidemiological investigation, Chikungunya, India