Chikungunya Outbreak in South India, 2006
Author Information
Author(s): Kaur Prabhdeep, Ponniah Manickam, Murhekar Manoj V., Ramachandran Vidya, Ramachandran Ramakrishnan, Raju Hari Kishan, Perumal Vanamail, Mishra Akhilesh C., Gupte Mohan D.
Primary Institution: National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, India
Hypothesis
What were the characteristics and impact of the chikungunya outbreak in South India in 2006?
Conclusion
The chikungunya outbreak in South India had a high attack rate, especially among adults and females, and was facilitated by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in water containers.
Supporting Evidence
- 242 case-patients were identified in Mallela with an attack rate of 12%.
- 575 case-patients were identified in Avadi with an attack rate of 22%.
- 67% of blood samples from case-patients in Mallela tested positive for IgM antibodies.
- 10% of case-patients in Mallela reported a rash.
- Attack rates were higher among persons over 15 years of age and females.
Takeaway
A lot of people got sick from chikungunya in South India because of mosquitoes breeding in water containers, especially affecting adults and women.
Methodology
The study involved door-to-door searches for case-patients, blood sample collection, and larval surveys in affected areas.
Potential Biases
Convenient sampling may introduce bias in estimating the incidence of subclinical infections.
Limitations
The study lacked uniform methods for investigating the two outbreaks and used convenient sampling for estimating subclinical infections.
Participant Demographics
The study included adults and children, with a notable focus on females and individuals over 15 years of age.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04
Statistical Significance
p=0.04
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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