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Chikungunya continues to spread in the US
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There have been 153 cases of chikungunya virus reported in 32 US states and territories as of July 8, according to the CDC.
The most recent state to report a case of chikungunya was Texas, which reported its first case on July 7 in a traveler to the Caribbean.
The US cases include 138 travel-associated cases among travelers returning from the Caribbean (n=134), the Pacific Islands (n=3) or Asia (n=1). Fifteen locally-transmitted cases have been reported in Puerto Rico (n=14) and the US Virgin Islands (n=1). There has been no local transmission of the virus identified in the continental United States, according to the CDC.
In the Caribbean and Central America, 259,723 suspected chikungunya cases have been reported and 4,721 cases have been confirmed as of June 27, according to the Pan American Health Organization. The disease was first detected in Saint Martin in December.
“With the recent outbreaks in the Caribbean and the Pacific, the number of chikungunya cases among travelers visiting or returning to the United States from affected areas will likely increase,” CDC said in its most recent update. “These imported cases could result in local spread of the virus in the continental United States.
Chikungunya is not a nationally notifiable disease in the United States, but can be reported to ArboNET, the CDC’s surveillance system for arthropod-borne diseases.
“This is often a terribly painful and uncomfortable illness, with no vaccine to prevent it and no specific treatment for those infected,” John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, commissioner of the Department of Health in Tennessee, which has reported 10 cases of the disease, said in a press release.
Although there have been no locally-transmitted cases reported in the United States, the disease’s primary vector, Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, are common in many states, primarily up the East coast.
Symptoms include fever, joint and muscle pain, rash, and joint swelling. Many state health departments and the CDC are urging health care providers to contact their local or regional health departments with suspected cases and coordinate with state health officials to determine whether the infection was imported or indigenous.
They are also is advising travelers and residents to increase prevention efforts, which include:
- Awareness that Aedes mosquitos feed during the day, as well as at dusk and dawn;
- Use of insect repellents;
- Wear permethrin-treated clothing to repel mosquitos;
- Refrain from using any perfumes, colognes or scented deodorants that may attract mosquitos;
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and for improved effectiveness, tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants to keep out insects;
- Remove any standing water around the house that can serve as a breeding ground for vectors;
- Keep wading pools empty when not in use and replace bird baths on a weekly basis; and
- Keep windows and doors closed or covered with screens.
Disclosure: Dreyzehner reports no relevant financial disclosures.