Seroprevalence of chikungunya infection in pyretic children seeking treatment in Alupe district hospital, Busia county Kenya

Abstract

Chikungunya fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans majorly by a bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Studies have revealed that other species of Aedes mosquitoes equally transmit chikungunya virus (CHIKV). This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of CHIKV in febrile children seeking treatment in Alupe District Hospital, Busia Kenya. This was a hospital based cross- sectional study of 384 febrile children aged 1 to 12 years. A detailed clinical history and socio-demographic information of the study participants was taken by the clinician after signing a consent form. Whole blood of about 5 ml was collected in vacutainers, centrifuged to obtain serum for antibody detection. Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Plaque Reduction Neutralisation Test (PRNT) tests were performed to detect the chikungunya antibodies. The median (Interquartile range) age (months) for the febrile children was 54 (30, 96) and majority 55.5% (213) were female. More than three quarters 76 .8% (295) were rural dwellers and 55% (211) attended school. Majority of the children 72.1% (277) were under the care of their mothers. The prevalence of CHIKV was 9.4% (36) and 11.5% (44) using ELISA and PRNT techniques, respectively. The wet month of September had the highest prevalence (40.9%) and febrile children from the rural areas were the most affected{79.5% (35/44)}. In the study population, the common symptoms and signs exhibited were malaise (33.1%), nausea (23.4%), stomachache (214%), headache (19.3%) and fever (100%), rash (40.6%) respectively. It is therefore recommended that if a patient is diagnosed with typhoid or other more prevalent infectious diseases, CHIKV should be tested for. Serology and molecular diagnosis should be used simultaneously for better case detection.