Clinical-epidemiological characterization of Chikungunya fever in pediatric patients of a Regional Hospital of Paraguay, 2023

Abstract

Introduction: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus with a single-stranded RNA genome belonging to the Togaviridae family. It is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes of the Aedes sp. genus and is characterized by fever and disabling joint pain. Objetive: Determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the chikungunya virus in pediatric patients who attended a Regional Hospital in Paraguay between January and June 2023. Materials and method: Quantitative, observational, descriptive cross-sectional study. All patients with variables of interest were included in the study; sex, age, origin, clinical findings and atypical symptoms. Results: A total of 465 clinical records of patients with confirmed chikungunya were reviewed. The minimum age of the patients was four days, and the maximum was 17 years; half of the patients were between 1 and 10 years of age. Male predominance in 52.7%, patients from urban areas in 72.5%. 62.6% had a typical presentation of chikungunya infection, and 37.4% had an atypical presentation. Fever, polyarthralgia, myalgia, headache, vomiting, and nausea predominated in the usual manner. In the atypical form, alterations of the cardiovascular system, bleeding dyscrasias, and pneumonia, among others, predominate. 4.3% presented
complications, including encephalitis-meningoencephalitis and myocarditis. There was a death rate of 10.8%. Conclusion: Male sex predominated, coming from urban areas with typical presentation of chikungunya, with predominant symptoms of fever, polyarthralgia, and myalgia. Atypical form alteration of the cardiovascular system, bleeding dyscrasias, pneumonia. 4.3%
presented complications, 10.8% died.