Mosquito-borne Diseases, Dengue Blogs April 2, 2018

Chikungunya Vs Dengue – Know The Difference

Dengue and chikungunya are both viral diseases spread by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. Historically, chikungunya was identified as dengue but after an outbreak of chikungunya in Makonde Plateau near Tanzania, it was recognized as a separate disease.

Both chikungunya and dengue are mosquito-borne diseases spread by the Aedes mosquito. The Aedes aegypti is more likely to spread dengue while the Aedes albopictus is more likely to pass on the chikungunya virus. However, both the types can spread both the diseases.

A person can be infected with both the diseases at the same time. Although there are chances of dengue cases being fatal, chikungunya is found to be fatal very rarely. Both the diseases have very similar symptoms so differentiating between the two is a must.

Symptoms of Chikungunya

If you are bitten by a female Aedes mosquito infected by the chikungunya virus, the symptoms generally show up within 2-12 days, also called the incubation period. The symptoms include:

– High fever that occurs as the body raises its temperature in an attempt to kill the infectious agent
– Severe joint pains experienced in the feet, ankle, wrists and hands with mild swelling as the virus destroys cells in the muscles and joints
– Severe back pain
– A headache with photophobia
– Muscle pain with fatigue
– Skin maculopapular rash that appears in the first 48 hours when the symptoms show up, generally on the torso, hands and feet
– Sore throat
– Eye pain with conjunctivitis

Though non-fatal, chikungunya can cause body aches for several months and years. Know more about the symptoms of chikungunya here.

Symptoms of Dengue

The symptoms of dengue tend to show up within 3-14 days of being bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito and generally include the following:

– Sudden high fever without any prior underlying infection. Fever may come down rapidly within 2-4 days, with severe sweating
– Severe headache
– Pain behind the eyes that increases with eye movement
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Fatigue with a feeling of prostration
– Rashes which generally appear within 48 hours, mainly on the face and the limbs
– Mild bleeding either from the nose or from the gums
– Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck and the groin
– Decreased heart rate, also known as tachycardia
– Low blood pressure
– Difficulty in breathing

Know more about the symptoms of dengue here.

Differences between Chikungunya and Dengue

Though both the diseases are quite similar with matching symptoms, there some key differences between the two.

1. Dengue and chikungunya are carried by the same type of mosquito but are caused due to different viruses. While chikungunya is caused by a Togaviridae alphavirus, the Flaviviridae Flavivirus is responsible for causing the dengue fever.
2. Dengue fever has become more common and dangerous than chikungunya in the last few years but the joint pain associated with chikungunya can last for years.
3. The symptoms of dengue show up within 3-4 days after infection and reduce in about 3-4 weeks with medication and rest. The symptoms of chikungunya start with a sudden onset of fever within 2-4 days of exposure and can take weeks or months to fade away.
4. Initial symptoms for chikungunya include fever, joint and muscle pain, eye infection and rashes while for dengue initially the symptoms involve fever, pain in joints, eye pain and rashes.
5. In chikungunya, rashes appear on the torso and the arms while in dengue, they appear on the arms and the face.
6. Joint pain in chikungunya is experienced in the hands, wrists, feet and legs, while in dengue it is experienced in the shoulders and the knees.

Prevention For Dengue And Chikungunya

To prevent yourself against both of these diseases, you need to protect yourself against the mosquito bites. For outdoor protection, the easiest way to safeguard yourself and your family is to apply 4 dots of the Goodknight Fabric Roll-On on to your clothes. It is made using 100% natural ingredients and ensures 8 hours of mosquito-protection.

For indoor protection, use the 2x power of Goodknight Gold Flash System and make sure to turn it on during the day as the Aedes mosquito is the most active during that time.