Chikungunya

As strains of illness carried by mosquitos begin spreading to new places in the world, you’ll want to educate yourself about possible new diseases. One illness that’s beginning to appear in new places is the mosquito-borne chikungunya. This mosquito-borne illness has no vaccine to prevent it, nor is any cure available. Preventing mosquito bites through insect repellant, clothing coverage and mosquito spraying is the best means of avoiding the chikungunya illness.

The virus that causes chikungunya spreads through mosquito bites from the Aedes species of mosquito. This species of mosquito tends to bite more often during daylight hours. Primary symptoms of mosquito-borne chikungunya include joint pain and fever, although other symptoms include muscle pain, joint swelling, headaches and rashes. If you contract the chikungunya mosquito-borne illness, you may treat the symptoms of pain or fever with acetaminophen or paracetamol. Additionally, make sure you are resting and drinking plenty of liquids

In a typical patient, symptoms of chikungunya usually appear three to seven days after the bite from the Aedes mosquito. The pain and symptoms of this illness tend to fade away about one week after they appear. However, some people with added sensitivity to the virus experience joint pain for several months after the initial symptoms. Death rarely occurs from chikungunya. Those who already suffer from medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes, those over age 65 and newborn babies tend to have more severe symptoms that last longer than healthy adults.

At the current time, chikungunya most often appears in Africa, Asia, portions of Central America, portions of North America, portions of South America and islands in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean and South Pacific. However, mosquito-borne illnesses are spreading as the strains of mosquitos that carry them migrate to new parts of the world.

If you’re concerned about the possibility of chikungunya or other mosquito-borne illnesses because of the mosquito population in your backyard or neighborhood, MosquitoNix® provides the products you need. Try our custom mosquito control misting systems to protect against mosquitos and other biting insects and flying insects. Our misting systems provide the ongoing protection against mosquitos that will give you peace of mind.