New medicine for chikungunya?
Question:
Answers:
Sorry, no, there are no new medications for chikungunya. In fact, there are no preventive medications or vaccines either.
Chikungunya is a rare viral infection transmitted by infected mosquitoes (usually in tropical areas). Being viral, there is no specific treatment...it has to run its course. Some things have been tried in the past to treat it, such as chloroquine, but with very limited success. Best that can be done is to treat the symptoms: rest, NSAIDS (non-steroid anti-inflamatory drugs) such as ibuprofen for fever and joint pain, and mild exercise for stiffness. Sometimes, doctors will order paracetamol to combat the fever and joint pain.
The best thing to do is to take measures to avoid contracting it by doing all you can to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes:
wear clothing that covers as much of your body as possible
avoid areas of stagnant water
use mosquito repellent
use mosquito nets when sleeping
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