As reports of Chikungunya cases doubling in Maharashtra this year come to the fore, Mumbai doctors say it is important to not take the disease lightly and get treated promptly to avoid severe long-lasting effects like joint pains
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne arboviral infection, which is transmitted by the mosquito named Aedes aegypti, which is the same vector that also transmits dengue and Zika virus. Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: istock
Key Highlights
- Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne infection transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti
- The associated joint pains are much more severe than that seen in dengue and Zika virus
- The spread of chikungunya is more in areas affected by flooding
Every monsoon, Mumbai is threatened by the increase of malaria, dengue and chikungunya cases. While leptospirosis is also common, the one aspect that binds the other three is that all of them are mosquito-borne diseases. Often, it is also what makes people confuse them with the other, say Mumbai experts, and that may also cause severe co-manifestations.