Dorothy FarrarSindbi’s fever
The so-called Sindbis fever, which occurs mainly in African countries, is caused by the Sindbis virus. Vector is a mosquito responsible for the infection. Birds serve as hosts of the virus.
What is Sindbis fever?
Sindbis fever is a classic viral disease. The symptoms are mainly reminiscent of flu. Characteristic of Sindbis fever are joint inflammation and rashes. In a few cases, Sindbis fever also triggers encephalitis (meningitis). What is interesting, however, is the fact that Sindbis fever runs without abnormalities in many sufferers.
Although the virus is referred to as a classic African disease, Sindbis fever also occurs in Scandinavian countries, Australia and Asia. In Germany, the first case of Sindbis fever was documented in 2009. Due to the fact that Sindbis fever causes joint inflammation, many doctors refer to the disease as “epidemic polyarthritis”.
The physician divides the virus into six forms, which, however, are similar and have hardly any differences. Pogosta, Karelian and Ockelbo fever are subspecies of Sindbis fever. In 1982, a case of Ockelbo fever was documented (in Sweden); also in Belarus and Finland some cases of illness have already been officially confirmed.
Causes
The virus, which lives in host birds, is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Culex. These are nocturnal mosquitoes, of which 16 species exist in Central Europe alone. The genus of the Culex is colloquially referred to as the “common mosquito”. Sindbis fever cannot be transmitted by humans. While the mosquito transmits the virus, birds serve as hosts where the virus “lives”.
However, it is not the (migratory) birds that brought the virus to Europe; rather, it is a journey that has been stung by the “common mosquito” in African countries. The virus is named after the village of Sindbis. In that village, the virus was first discovered in 1952.
Symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of Sindbis fever:
Classic symptoms and signs are fever, fatigue, a sudden rash, headache and “malaise”. Subsequently, joint pain occurs; many patients complain of conjunctivitis and are subsequently also sensitive to light. Between the infection and the actual outbreak or .dem appearance of the first symptoms, sometimes three to eleven days can pass. This time is described as the so-called incubation period, in which the virus is already in the body, but has not yet been able to break out.
At the beginning of the disease, the patient complains of headaches. After that, joint problems occur; mainly these are complaints of the hand, foot and finger joints. The patient feels unwell, is exhausted and complains of constant fatigue. In the further course of the disease, reddening of the skin occurs, followed by blisters on the skin. At the beginning of Sindbis fever, the skin changes appear on the trunk.
After that, the patient notices the first skin changes on the thighs. In the further course, the soles of the feet and the palms can also be affected. The fever also proceeds in spurts. After the first thrust, a decrease in temperature can be noted; an increase in temperature does not follow. The patient also complains of nausea and vomiting; in some cases, redness of the throat and conjunctivitis have also been diagnosed.
However, doctors have also documented chronic disease progression. In those courses, the patients complain about years of joint problems and joint pain. However, these make up the minority of Sindbis fever.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis proves difficult. Mainly because the symptoms of the virus are indicative of other diseases. If Sindbis fever is suspected, any antigens that have formed can be detected in the Blood , which represents 100% confirmation of the diagnosis.
treatment and therapy
As a rule, Sindbis fever does not pose any exceptional challenges for the Immune system. In many cases, special treatments and therapies are therefore not required. After a few weeks, the symptoms disappear; Late effects are very rare if at all. The doctor pays attention primarily to the fact that – if he has made the diagnosis of Sindbis fever – the symptoms are alleviated. This means that Painkillers are administered, which also have a fever-lowering effect .
Non-steroidal (i.e. cortisone-free) preparations such as diclofenac or ibuprofen are primarily suitable . However, ibuprofen has the disadvantage that side effects are possible. The patient can suffer from stomach bleeding because ibuprofen inhibits prostaglandins, which are subsequently responsible for blood clotting.
Diclofenac is used when the patient complains of moderate to severe pain caused by joint inflammation. However, many patients complain about side effects, which are mainly expressed in a blood count impairment and gastrointestinal complaints . However, there is no special therapy that deals with Sindbis fever.
Prevention
Due to the fact that there is no vaccine against Sindbis fever, the virus cannot be prevented 100 percent. If you are traveling in areas where Sindbis fever is at home, you should therefore pay attention to consistent mosquito repellent.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.