Mauritius

Mauritius and Chikungunya Mauritius and Reunion Island is well known to have the one of the best medical facilities within the region. But last two years the medical system received a severe blow!! The reason CHIKUNGUNYA!!

Chikungun…who?? Chikungunya is a relatively rare viral fever caused by an alphavirus usually spread by mosquito bites from Aedes aegypti.

Chikungunya However recently Pasteur institute in Paris discovered that a mutated form of the virus can be spread by the “tiger mosquito”.

Chikungunya The origin of the word is believe to come from “Makonde” which is a southeast ethnic group in Tanzania and northern Mozambique. Its means “which bends up”. Chikungunya is generally not fatal but in yr Reunion island registered 200 deaths in an epidemy while in Mauritius only a few cases were registered.

Symptoms Fever reaching 39 deg which disappears abruptly in 2 days Maculopapular rash involving limbs and trunk. Arthritis Headaches Conjunctival infection Slight photophobia

Treatment So far there is no specific treatment to this infection. Chloroquine is believed to have some effects on the patient but nothing concrete has been found yet. Young people and pregnant women tend to recover quicker from infection while elderly people are more susceptible to longer period of recovery. No adverse effects on pregnancy has been discovered so far Only preventive measures can be taken.

Preventive measures Infected person should avoid further contact with mosquitoes by using mosquito repellants,staying indoors under a mosquito net. Wearing long sleeved-shirts and trousers Fixing screens and nets on windows and doors. Mosquito control: getting rid of mosquito breeding areas Fumigation

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