What is Chikungunya?
Chickungunya is a self-limiting, acute illness. The word “Chikungunya” is a native African word for the disease in which the patient lies “Doubled Up” due to several joint points. It literally means “Bent Over” in local Mokonde language.

Chikungunya – SADDLE BACK FEVER
Headlines were made by narratives where a Swiss tourist caught the bug while holidaying and subsequently, “The times of London” reported 77 deaths in Island Paradise.

Synonyms
CHIKV , Chick fever

CHARACTERISTICS
· Causative Agent for Chikungunya fever is Toge Virus
· Family : Togaviridae (Formally Group A Arbovirus)
· Genus : Alpha Virus
· Species : Chikungunya Virus

Toga Virus was first isolated from patients and Aedes Egypti Mosquitoes in Tanzania in 1952. Toga- Latin word, Meaning Romain Mantle (Or) Clock. This virus is a spherical, enveloped virion 60nm in diameter, single stranded, and positive-sense RAN genome. Female Aedes Egypti mosquitoes transmit the disease from one person to another, though recent research by the Pasteur Institute in Paris claims the virus has suffered a mutation that enables it to be transmitted by Aedes albopictus (Tiger mosquito).

EPIDEMIOLOGY
Chikungunya is generally not fatal. Epidemiology reveals that it is prevalent in Africa, India, South East Asia and Philippines. Epidemics of Chikungunya fever have been prevalent in Africa .The disease first appeared in India in 1963. In India, the disease first hit Karnataka. Andhra, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala.In March and April 2006,out breaks were reported in many districts of Maharashtra..