Dengue or Chikungunya? Here are the differences between the two diseases transmitted by the tiger mosquito.
One mosquito bite, but several possible diseases. Dengue and chikungunya are viruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, including the famous tiger mosquito, which is present across most of the country. While these diseases share the same mode of transmission, generally occur in the same geographic areas, and have similar symptoms, they nevertheless have several differences.
First, a person infected with chikungunya is generally immune and therefore cannot contract the virus a second time. Conversely, there are several strains of the dengue virus, and it is therefore possible (and even more serious) to be infected multiple times.
Then, the symptoms of dengue and chikungunya are similar (fever, joint pain, headaches, etc.), but some differences between these two diseases. Dengue fever causes nausea and even vomiting, which is not the case with chikungunya, where joint pain is more intense. Also, dengue fever is more often (50 to 90% of cases) asymptomatic than chikungunya (10 to 40% of cases) according to the 1st .
Dengue and chikungunya differ primarily in their severe forms, which are rare. Chikungunya fever sometimes becomes chronic, lasting several weeks or even months. Severe forms of chikungunya primarily affect vulnerable individuals (pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals), while severe dengue fever can affect any infected person.
Severe forms of dengue fever and chikungunya fever do not present with the same symptoms. Severe chikungunya fever causes serious neurological symptoms, such as a brain infection. Severe dengue fever can cause severe abdominal pain, significant vomiting, hemorrhaging, extreme tachycardia, or even organ failure.
Finally, regarding treatment and prevention, there is no specific treatment for these two diseases, but anti-inflammatory drugs should not be used against dengue fever. A vaccine is currently only available to prevent chikungunya.
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