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By David Morgan in Washington Reuters September 19, 2009 11:54am THE US and Europe face a new health threat from a mosquito-borne disease
far more unpleasant than the West Nile virus that swept into North
America a decade ago, a leading expert said.
Chikungunya virus has spread beyond Africa since 2005, causing outbreaks
and scores of fatalities in India and the French island of Reunion. It
also has been detected in Italy, where it has begun to spread locally,
as well as France. "We're very worried," Dr James Diaz of the Louisiana University Health
Sciences Center told a meeting on airlines, airports and disease
transmission sponsored by the independent US National Research Council. "Unlike West Nile virus, where nine out of 10 people are going to be
totally asymptomatic, or may have a mild headache or a stiff neck, if
you get Chikungunya you're going to be sick," he said. "The disease can be fatal. It's a serious disease," Dr Diaz added.
"There is no vaccine." Chikungunya infection causes fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting,
muscle pain, rash and joint pain. Symptoms can last a few weeks, though
some suffers have reported incapacitating joint pain or arthritis
lasting months. The disease was first discovered in Tanzania in 1952. Its name means
"that which bends up" in the Makonde language spoken in northern
Mozambique and southeastern Tanzania. The virus could spread globally now because it can be carried by the
Asian tiger mosquito, which is found in Asia, Africa, Europe, the
Americas, Australia and New Zealand. In the US, the mosquito species tends to live in southern regions east
of the Mississippi but has been found as far afield as western Texas,
Minnesota and New Jersey. Health officials are greatly concerned about the appearance of
Chikungunya in the islands of the Indian Ocean - Mauritius, Seychelles
and Reunion - which have beach resorts frequented by European tourists. "It is hyper-endemic in the islands of the Indian Ocean," Dr Diaz said. "Travel by air will import the infected mosquitoes and humans," he added. "Chikungunya is coming." Dr Diaz warned of possible double-infections involving Chikungunya and
dengue fever or malaria, which are also carried by the Asian tiger mosquito. The spread of the disease could be greatest in so-called mega-cities
such as Mumbai and Mexico City, which have large and impoverished
populations, poor health controls and water systems that provide ready
breeding grounds for mosquitoes, Dr Diaz said. West Nile, spread by a different mosquito species, first appeared in New
York in 1999 and now can be found in most of North America.
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