Chikungunya is a mosquito borne viral disease first described during an outbreak in southern Tanzania in 1952.
The name"Chikungunya" derives from a word in the kimakonde language meaning "to be contorted",and it describes slooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain.
Symptoms of the disease include muscle pain,headache,nausea,fatigue and rash. The joint pain is often debilitating,but usually lasts for a few days or may be prolonged to weeks.
Most patients recover fully,but in we cases joint pain may persist for several months or years. Serious complications are not common but in older people the disease can contribute to the cause of the death.
The virus is transmitted from human to human by the bites of the infected female mosquitoes. After the bite of an infected mosquito,onset of illness occurs usually between 4 and 8 days but can range from 2 to 12 days.
Through studies there is no specific antriviral drug treatment disease for Chikungunya.
Although prevention and measures have been set to curb the disease this include sleeping under mosquito nets,use of repellants, wearing long sleeves and pants.