Chikungunya, a viral epidemic,

Chikungunya, a viral epidemic, already detected in neighbouring Bidar district, is suspected to have made its entry here, according to experts in the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).

While the district authorities have no clinical confirmation about prevalence of the viral disease the NICD experts suspecting its presence have advised the health authorities to give simultaneous treatment to patients both for leptospirosis and Chikungunya.

Both the epidemics have some common symptoms like severe joint pain, fever and chills. The absence of adequate laboratory facilities for testing blood samples has proved a major hindrance in containing the menace.

The district health authorities have sent blood samples to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, but so far there has been no response from the NIV.

According to informed sources, the NIV is flooded with samples from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The authorities here maintain that most of the samples sent to NICD in Bangalore have tested positive for bacterial leptospirosis. However, in neighbouring Bidar out of 76 samples 43 have been tested positive for Chikungunya.

NICD Joint Director U.V.S.Rana and Deputy Director Sohan Lal who have rushed here to take stock of the situation, have not ruled out the possibility of Chikungunya incidence. They have collected samples from Gundgurthi and Mudbal villages and it will take at least a fortnight to get the results.

While leptospirosis is rodent-borne, Chikungunya is vector-borne viral disease.

The latter is an acute alpha-virus infection transmitted by Aedes mosquito producing a dengue-like fever. Known for its prevalence in Africa and South East Asia, including India, the disease is new to Gulbarga.

“In the wake of strong suspicion of the viral infection we have taken up extensive fogging in 30 affected villages. The NICD has asked us to increase the frequency of fogging and we will do it” said District Health Officer Dr. Pandurang Poojary.

Characterised by severe joint pain, fever, mild headache, loss of appetite and constipation, Chikungunya is not fatal. Caused by infected African species Aedes mosquito the disease does not cause long term effects or complications.

However, joint pain will be so severe resulting in bending of body rendering the patient immobile. In some patients the joint pain may remain for long and may recur.