Prevention critical when traveling to chikungunya risk areas

The CDC and WHO recommend that those who travel to chikungunya risk areas cover exposed skin with long-sleeved shirts, pants and hats, and use an appropriate insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites as there is no commercially available chikungunya vaccine.

Officials recommend using products with higher percentages of active ingredient — DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 — to provide longer protection. When using sunscreen, it is recommended to apply it first and then use insect repellent.

It is also recommended to use a permethrin-treated tent and to wear permethrin-treated boots, pants and socks. Screened-in or air-conditioned rooms are the best areas to sleep in; a bed net is also suggested in areas where people are sleeping if exposed to the outdoors.

The CDC and WHO additionally recommend for people residing in chikungunya risk areas to reduce the number of natural and artificial water-filled container habitats that support mosquito breeding. Insecticides may be sprayed, applied to surfaces in and around containers where mosquitoes land and used to treat water in containers to kill larvae during an outbreak.

In response to chikungunya outbreaks, WHO formulates evidence-based outbreak management plans; provides technical support and guidance to countries for effective management of cases and outbreaks; supports countries to improve reporting systems; provides training on clinical management, diagnosis and vector control at the regional level; and publishes guidelines and handbooks for case management.

WHO recommends for countries to develop and maintain a plan to detect and confirm cases, manage patients, and implement social communication strategies to reduce the presence of mosquito vectors.

Additional information may be found at these websites:

http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs327/en/