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SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — Health officials are warning travelers about a painful mosquito-borne virus. On Friday, the CDC issued a travel warning about a chikungunya outbreak in southern China.
ABC7 News spoke with three different specialists about the disease.
Dr. Jeffrey Silvers is Sutter Health’s medical director for Pharmacy & Infection Control.
“It’s a very unpleasant virus if you get it, it causes severe pain – most people survive it which is good. It usually happens within three to seven days after a person has been bitten by that mosquito,” Dr. Silvers said.
Chikungunya is spread by infected mosquitoes, mainly Aedes aegypti.
“Most mosquitos prefer biting at dusk and dawn, this one doesn’t have a preference, it’s very happy to bite you anytime of the day,” Dr. Silvers said.
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Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, said it’s not a new disease.
“It’s been around for many, many decades. Or at least we’ve recognized it for many, many decades,” Dr. Swartzberg said.
He said cases have been reported in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America.
According to the European CDC, there have been about 240,000 infections globally this year.
It’s been six years since someone caught it in the U.S.
“It’s something that we’re probably going to be seeing in this country with climate change and that means the range of the mosquito that transmits this is going to change its range and that brings it into the United States,” Dr. Swartzberg said.
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A couple of years ago, Aedes aegypti were detected in Santa Clara County.
Dr. Taylor Kelly works with the vector control district in the surveillance division. She helps set traps and monitors populations.
“It is a really important mosquito, it’s a backyard breading mosquito, so it’s a very serious public nuisance and its also able to vector these diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus that are threats to public health,” Dr. Kelly said.
Since we do have mosquitos that carry chikungunya here in Santa Clara County, people are encouraged to call the health department if they experience ‘day-biting’ mosquitos at (408) 918-4770 or email [email protected].
“It’s a small black mosquito with white stripes on the body and the leg you need to let the health department know,” Dr. Silvers said.
There are two vaccinations approved for travelers who are visiting an area with an outbreak.
