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Objectives: To compare the clinical and laboratory features of confirmed cases of Chikungunya and Dengue fever; to validate the clinical diagnosis based on serology. Methods: Cases with a clinical diagnosis of Chikungunya and Dengue fever were recruited for seroconfirmation during a concurrent epidemic in 2006-07, at the General Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Results: Of 54 patients with fever, serology confirmed 21 with Chikungunya infection, 20 with Dengue infection, and three co-infections, with sensitivity of the clinical diagnosis of 92% for Chikungunya fever and 95% for Dengue fever. The mean age of patients with Chikungunya fever was 45 years (range 21-74 years), and patients with Dengue fever was 30 years (range 15-63 years) (p = 0.005). Sixteen (70%) of Chikungunya fever patients were females, while 15 (71%) of those with Dengue fever were males (p = 0.007). Arthralgia was common to both groups (p = 0.155), while headache and a bleeding tendency were observed more in patients with Dengue fever. Twelve (57%) Chikungunya cases had acute arthritis compared with none in the Dengue group (p = 0.001), lasting mean 6 days (range 1-14 days). They developed chronic arthritic disability (range 1-6 months). Leucopenia was common to both Chikungunya and Dengue fever patients. However, thrombocytopenia was more pronounced in the Dengue patients (mean (SD) platelet count 75 (34)×109/l) than in the Chikungunya patients (117 (70)×109/l) (p = 0.001). In the Chikungunya group there was a positive correlation between duration of the illness and the platelet count (r = 0.181, p = 0.194), but the Dengue group showed a negative correlation (r = -0.309, p<0.001). Conclusion: Most of the clinical and laboratory features of patients with Chikungunya and Dengue fever are similar. Arthritis is the pathgnomonic sign in patients with Chikungunya fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chikungunya fever (CGF) and rickettsioses are known to cause acute onset febrile illnesses associated with severe arthritis. Rickettsial arthritis is curable with the use of appropriate anti-rickettsial antibiotics, however the arthritis of CGF tends to have a prolonged course leading to protracted disability. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of CGF and rickettsioses to cases of fever and arthritis during a presumed CGF outbreak in Sri Lanka., Methods: Fifty-eight consecutive patients with presumed CGF were further investigated to determine the occurrence of rickettsioses among them, and to identify differences in clinical, hematological, and biochemical parameters between the two diseases., Results: Nearly a third of the patients had serological evidence of rickettsioses accounting for their illness. The presence of a late onset major joint arthropathy sparing the small joints of the hands and feet, and the occurrence of a late onset discrete maculopapular rash over the trunk and extremities, suggested rickettsioses over CGF. White blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and liver function tests were not helpful in differentiating rickettsioses from CGF. Patients with rickettsioses and arthritis who received an empirical course of doxycycline recovered faster than those who did not receive specific treatment., Conclusions: The establishment of rapid diagnostic methods able to differentiate the etiological agents of fever and arthritis, such as CGF and rickettsioses, would be beneficial in endemic settings., (Copyright © 2011 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A Sri Lankan fever cohort (n = 292 patients; 17.8% prevalence) was used to assess two standard diagnostic Chikungunya IgM tests. The immunochromatographic test (ICT) acute sample sensitivity (SN) was 1.9 to 3.9%, and specificity (SP) was 92.5 to 95.0%. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) gave an acute sample SN of 3.9% and an SP of 92.5% and a convalescent sample SN of 84% and an SP of 91%. These assays are not suitable for the acute diagnosis of Chikungunya virus infection.