Chikungunya fever in Japan imported from the Caribbean islands.

Chikungunya fever in Japan imported from the Caribbean islands.
Jpn J Infect Dis. 2015 Jul 10;
Authors: Imai K, Nakayama E, Maeda T, Mikita K, Kobayashi Y, Mitarai A, Honma Y, Miyake S, Kaku K, Miyahira Y, Kawana A
Abstract
A 53-year-old Japanese woman who was working as a volunteer in the Commonwealth of Dominica in the Caribbean islands presented with a high-grade fever and severe incapacitating generalized arthralgia. The Asian genotype of the chikungunya virus was confirmed with RT-PCR and serology, based on the presence of specific neutralization titer and IgM antibody. She was diagnosed with post-chikungunya chronic arthritis based on persistence of her polyarthritis for 3 months and the presence of rheumatoid factor, immunoglobulin G-rheumatoid factor, and matrix metalloproteinase-3. Chikungunya virus should be considered as a causative pathogen in travelers returning from Caribbean islands. Clinicians should consider chikungunya fever in the differential diagnosis of patients who complain of chronic arthritis and have a history of travel to an endemic area.
PMID: 26166501 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases - July 10, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Imai K, Nakayama E, Maeda T, Mikita K, Kobayashi Y, Mitarai A, Honma Y, Miyake S, Kaku K, Miyahira Y, Kawana A Tags: Jpn J Infect Dis Source Type: research