Clinical and epidemiological characterization of Chikungunya in children

Abstract

Background: Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is a disease viral infection caused by an arbovirus (CHIKV) mainly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. A clinical and epidemiological characterization was performed in the patients that presented the disease.

Patients and Methods: Across-sectional study was conducted in the department of pediatrics, specifically in the emergency area of the Regional Hospital of North Honduran Social Security Institute (HRN-IHSS). The data was obtained from the epidemiological records of suspected cases of CHIKF who attended the pediatric emergency, between January and March 2015. 48 were obtained.

Results: 52% of hospitalized patients lived in the city. In 63% of cases attended the hospital when they had between 1- 2 days of symptoms. The main symptoms were fever (96%), followed by rash (71%); arthritis and arthralgia occurred in almost 58% of cases. In 75% of patients they had family members with similar symptoms.

Conclusions: The age at which the symptoms occurred was in young infants and school-predominant in males and no history of previous trips.

Acta Pediátrica Hondureña, Vol. 5, No. 1 & 2 / April 2014 - March 2015: 336-342