Emergence of Chikungunya Cases From Urban to Rural Areas of Sindh: The Role of Travel and Climatic Conditions

Abstract

Background:Chikungunya is aviral disease transfer through bite of mosquito. The disease is presented with fever and joint pain.The virus is spread from huian- human by the bites of infected femalemosquitoes of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species. Thefirst outbreak of Chikungunya reported in Tanzania in 1952.Chikunguniais an emerging infection, in Pakistan it has spread from urban areasto rural areas of Sindh.

Objective: To investigate the pattern of Chikungunya casesand to further explore its relationship with the travel and climatic conditions.

Methodology:A cross sectional survey was conducted from January 2017 to September 2017. A structured questionnaire was developed, and information was collected on weekly basis from print and electronic media, physician clinics and community sources. The data was entered and analyzed on SPSS software version 22.

Results: Study has documented 4100 suspected cases with 516 cases whosesample were collected by Health Department Teams and sent to NIH Islamabad out of these 78 tested positive showing case positivity rates 15.11%. There was long and continuous rain fall in July and August month of 2017 and there was rise in temperature hence showing connection between Chikungunya virus and climate change and of long duration rain fall. Most of the patient are uneducated poor and living in resource poor healthfacilities, located at long distance and less in number. People travel to visit their relative to India or go for jobs to Karachi.

Conclusion:Chikungunyais an emerging infection, firsttime spread in Tharparkar, possibly from Indian border or from Karachi, where people of Tharparkar either have relative or they visit India to meet there relatives, also people frequentlyvisit Karachi for job, education, purchase and visit.Chachro Taluka was affected more than other Talukas of Tharparkar possibly due to the frequent travel by the residents.The faster transmission of chikungunya infection in Tharparkar might be due to the optimum temperature conditions, availability of mosquito (Aedes Aegypti and Aedeses Albopictus) and that influence chikungunya transmission.