Physicians inside Sermo are warning of possible local transmissions of Chikungunya virus in Texas, right as the peak season for vulnerability begins. The CDC has already confirmed two cases of local transmission in Florida and a pediatrician in the Houston area tested a patient for Chikungunya.
If the CDC confirms suspicions, Texas will be the second state to have the virus on home turf.
Dr. Jim Wilson, MD, a pediatrician and infectious disease expert from AscelBio wrote to the community yesterday about the next few weeks.
“In Texas, we have word of possible indigenous transmission occurring there. This will require proper epidemiological investigation to confirm, but it highlights the potential threat this nuisance pathogen represents.
We are now entering the period for maximized potential to support transmission from an environmental perspective. This period lasts for approximately the next eight weeks. You have:
- Convergence of people playing outside among
- Maximal mosquito densities and
- Fully optimized ambient temperature (that supports optimal viral replication inside the mosquito vector)
The areas of concern are Texas, New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama. All have large areas of agriculture and rural communities with contact rates with mosquitoes.”
He continues:
“We have yet to see any country successfully prevent Chik’s relentless expansion. There is a potential here to see localized medical infrastructure inundation that includes the outpatient and inpatient setting.”
Chikungunya is a fairly mild virus that causes headache, joint pain, rash and fever. It often presents as similar to dengue fever but with a low mortality rate. There is currently no cure, only rest and pain relief for symptoms, but most cases resolve on their own.
One family practitioner in New Jersey noted that 20 patients had been diagnosed so far in her state, but all had traveled to the Caribbean prior to infection. Another physician in Florida noted that he was seeing a pattern of patients with fever and joint complaints and suspected Chikungunya.
Currently, not all suspicious cases of Chikungunya are tested due to mild symptoms, lack of treatment options and lack of testing information from local public health authorities. Wilson suggested more testing to assist public health officials to determine if Chik is present in local communities.
The most important takeaway for physicians is to be watchful for people traveling from the Caribbean with Chik-like symptoms. We have been covering the spread of Chikungunya since January from the Caribbean to the U.S. for more information check out the following stories.
- First local transmission of Chikungunya in Florida
- Chikungunya Virus spreading quickly in the Caribbean
- Infectious disease trackers warn of Chikungunya virus
As a physician have you seen any suspected cases of Chikungunya? Has your local public health office contacted you about suspicious cases of testing? If you’re an M.D. or D.O. we’ll be discussing this more inside Sermo. Please join us.
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