Chikungunya Fever. Inflammatory Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches
Keywords:
Chikunguya; artralgia; CHIKV; arbovirosis.Abstract
Introduction: Chikungunya fever is an acute viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV). It is transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Population growth, climate change, and human movements have turned the disease into a global health problem.
Objective: To describe the current state of diagnosis and treatment of Chikungunya fever.
Method: A bibliographic search on Chikungunya fever was conducted in the databases SciELO, Pubmed, Latindex, Scopus, and Redalic, using the descriptors Chikungunya, arthralgia, CHIKV, and arbovirosis. As a final result, 28 articles were selected for this research. In a considerable number of patients, the infection presents a long duration in the form of debilitating rheumatic disease, which affects the quality of life of patients with chronic illnesses and impacts the economy in developing countries.
Development: CHIKV infection is characterized by chronic and severe polyarthralgia and/or polyarthritis, which last from one week to several months, and can affect any joint, but are more frequent in small joints; ankles, wrists, and phalanges.
Conclusions: Chikungunya fever is characterized by severe inflammation, caused by an exaggerated innate immune response and possible viral persistence, which is central to its pathogenesis. Treatment is symptomatic in the acute phase, and in those patients who reach the chronic phase, it is necessary to employ immunomodulatory strategies. Work is underway to develop an effective vaccine as a preventive measure.
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