Post-Pyretic Arthralgia: Chikungunya Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis

Chikungunya virus is a RNA virus of family Togaviridae and genus Aplhavirus which is a single stranded one. It causes chikungunya fever, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Chikungunya fever consists of acute illness stage during which the patients have high grade, chills, conjunctivitis, maculopapular rash, myalgias, polyarthralgias/polyarthritis, and headaches lasting from four days to six to eight weeks. After acute illness subsides, some patients develop seropositive rheumatoid arthritis which subsequently resolves with treatment. Materials and methodsThe present study was done in department of Orthopaedics and department of Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Amritsar. The study consisted of a total of 65 cases. Of the 65 cases of chikungunya; 26 patients(40%) were seropositive for rheumatoid Results- arthritis. 61(93%) of all the chikungunya patients were treated with low dose(tapering)corticosteroids and had resolution of symptoms on four month follow up period ; in 4(7%) cases methotrexate was given along with tapering dose of corticosteroids. Low-grade rheumatoid Conclusion- arthritis activity got triggered following infection with chikungunya virus which got alleviated with low dose methylprednisilone and methotrexate.