Introdution

Chikungunya has become the biggest scare in the world currently. After the epidemics of dengue and SARS, now chikungunya has grabbed the attention of people of the world. In some parts of the world, chikungunya is also called as Chicken Guinea, though this is a misnomer as chikungunya has nothing to do with chicken. Chicken Guinea is just an Anglicization of the word chikungunya.

The word chikungunya is etymologically rooted in the Makonde language of Tanzania, where it means ‘that which bends up’. This name is because of the painful symptoms which cause the patient’s joints to curve in an upwards position. The origins of chikungunya can be traced to 1952 in central Africa from where it has become rampant in Asia currently. The disease manifests itself as an epidemic, and if uncontrolled, it might turn into a pandemic.

The latest epidemic of chikungunya is currently going on in … Read more