Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil

Abstract Since the detection of the Chikungunya virus in America in 2013, two million cases of the disease have been notified worldwide. Severe cases and deaths related to Chikungunya have been reported in India and Reunion Island, estimated at 1 death per 1,000 inhabitants. Joint involvement in the...

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Main Author: Carlos Alexandre Antunes de Brito
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
Series:Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822017000500585&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Carlos Alexandre Antunes de Brito
author_facet Carlos Alexandre Antunes de Brito
author_sort Carlos Alexandre Antunes de Brito
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Since the detection of the Chikungunya virus in America in 2013, two million cases of the disease have been notified worldwide. Severe cases and deaths related to Chikungunya have been reported in India and Reunion Island, estimated at 1 death per 1,000 inhabitants. Joint involvement in the acute and chronic phase is the main clinical manifestation associated with Chikungunya. The severity of the infection may be directly attributable to viral action or indirectly, owing to decompensation of preexisting comorbidities. In Brazil, the virus was identified in 2014, and recently, there has been a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by the Chikungunya virus infection, especially in Pernambuco. However, the numbers of fatalities are probably underreported, since for many cases, the diagnosis of Chikungunya infection may not be considered, for deaths by indirect causes. An increase in the mortality rate within months of epidemic occurrence, compared to previous years has also been reported and may be associated with Chikungunya virus infection. An in-depth investigation of reported mortality in Brazil is necessary, to measure the actual impact of the deaths, thereby, allowing the identification of possible causes. This will alert professionals about the risks, and hence, enable creation of protocols that target reducing mortality.
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spelling doaj.art-f988dbbefd4a4b288c1fbbfffe17f02b2022-12-22T03:28:51ZengSociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical1678-984950558558910.1590/0037-8682-0479-2016S0037-86822017000500585Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in BrazilCarlos Alexandre Antunes de BritoAbstract Since the detection of the Chikungunya virus in America in 2013, two million cases of the disease have been notified worldwide. Severe cases and deaths related to Chikungunya have been reported in India and Reunion Island, estimated at 1 death per 1,000 inhabitants. Joint involvement in the acute and chronic phase is the main clinical manifestation associated with Chikungunya. The severity of the infection may be directly attributable to viral action or indirectly, owing to decompensation of preexisting comorbidities. In Brazil, the virus was identified in 2014, and recently, there has been a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by the Chikungunya virus infection, especially in Pernambuco. However, the numbers of fatalities are probably underreported, since for many cases, the diagnosis of Chikungunya infection may not be considered, for deaths by indirect causes. An increase in the mortality rate within months of epidemic occurrence, compared to previous years has also been reported and may be associated with Chikungunya virus infection. An in-depth investigation of reported mortality in Brazil is necessary, to measure the actual impact of the deaths, thereby, allowing the identification of possible causes. This will alert professionals about the risks, and hence, enable creation of protocols that target reducing mortality.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822017000500585&lng=en&tlng=enChikungunyaLethalitySevere casesEpidemiologyReview
spellingShingle Carlos Alexandre Antunes de Brito
Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil
Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
Chikungunya
Lethality
Severe cases
Epidemiology
Review
title Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil
title_full Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil
title_fullStr Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil
title_short Alert: Severe cases and deaths associated with Chikungunya in Brazil
title_sort alert severe cases and deaths associated with chikungunya in brazil
topic Chikungunya
Lethality
Severe cases
Epidemiology
Review
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822017000500585&lng=en&tlng=en
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