A case of chikungunya was diagnosed by the Department of Infectious/Tropical Diseases and Microbiology of the IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria in Negrar in a 64-year-old woman living in a hamlet of the municipality of Negrar di Valpolicella (VR), with no history of recent travel to countries where the disease is endemic.
The Regional Prevention Directorate, which is in constant contact with the Verona healthcare facility, has announced the news and reports that the patient is hospitalized, alert, and actively cooperating with the doctors.
The Veneto Region, in close collaboration with the ULSS 9 Health Authority and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, promptly activated the required surveillance measures upon receipt of notification of the case:
● in-depth epidemiological investigation of the case, with timely assessment of possible risk exposures
● entomological monitoring
● activation of the extraordinary disinfestation procedure
● health surveillance measures aimed at other individuals in places of possible exposure.
● strengthening of syndromic surveillance in the Emergency Department
"Chikungunya," the Prevention experts specify, "is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes of the Aedes genus , particularly Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito). It most commonly manifests with a sudden high fever and severe joint pain that can persist for weeks or months. Other common symptoms include muscle pain, headache, rash, fatigue, and, in some cases, joint swelling. Although the disease is generally self-limiting, in some people, especially the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions, it can cause prolonged symptoms or complications."
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It's important to note that chikungunya is not transmitted from person to person, but only through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. Transmission occurs when a mosquito bites an infected person and, after an incubation period, can transmit the infection to healthy individuals with subsequent bites.
To date, in the Veneto region, all confirmed cases of chikungunya have been related to travel to endemic areas. The identification of a native case therefore represents a significant event, likely linked to increased international travel during the summer months, with the return of people from countries where the disease is present, and to climatic conditions favorable to the proliferation of the tiger mosquito.