Chikungunya Fever in Travelers Returning to Europe from the Indian Ocean Region, 2006
Author Information
Author(s): Panning Marcus, Grywna Klaus, van Esbroeck Marjan, Emmerich Petra, Drosten Christian
Primary Institution: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
Hypothesis
What are the diagnostic test results and reasons for the severity of chikungunya fever outbreaks in travelers returning from the Indian Ocean region?
Conclusion
Chikungunya fever is a significant concern for travelers returning from the Indian Ocean, with a notable percentage of infections confirmed through diagnostic testing.
Supporting Evidence
- Chikungunya infection was confirmed for 24.4% of patients in the first half of the year.
- Reverse transcription–PCR was positive for all samples taken up to day 4 after symptom onset.
- Immunofluorescence detected IgM on day 1 and IgG on day 2 for some patients.
Takeaway
Chikungunya fever can make people very sick after traveling to certain islands, and doctors need to know how to test for it.
Methodology
The study tested 720 samples from 680 patients using three diagnostic methods to confirm chikungunya infection.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported travel histories and symptoms.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on symptomatic patients, which may not represent all cases of chikungunya infection.
Participant Demographics
Patients were travelers returning from various countries in the Indian Ocean region, with an average age of 47.4 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.017
Confidence Interval
95% CI 8.2 × 108–1.6 × 109 copies/mL
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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