Pigmentation on the nose usually develops a few weeks after the acute febrile phase, when the fever and rash begin to subside.
There is concern about a new symptom of chikungunya (a viral infection spread through mosquito bites): black nose disease. According to media reports, a baby has been diagnosed with this condition, considered post-chikungunya hyperpigmentation, also known as Chik’s sign.
The one-month-old girl from Chennai was taken to the dermatologist after she developed black spots on her nose. Her mother had reportedly been diagnosed with chikungunya a week before giving birth. The mother had symptoms like fever and joint pain for about 5-6 days, after which the infection was confirmed through a blood test.
After being born, 15 days after birth, the baby also had a fever, after which, according to her parents, dark spots appeared, but they did not cause her any discomfort. Doctors examined her and noticed small, dark, flat spots on her nose.
Baby diagnosed with chikungunya, a rare disease symptoms
According to doctors, the rare skin condition is likely due to the mother’s chikungunya infection. However, doctors said the baby is otherwise healthy and no blood tests were performed because the mother had doubts.
Why does black pigmentation appear?
Experts say pigmentation on the nose usually appears a few weeks after the acute febrile phase, when the fever and rash begin to subside. In some cases, pigmentation can persist for up to six months after the initial infection and disappear on its own over time.
It may often require only conservative treatment, such as sun protection and topical treatments.
Doctors say the exact cause of the chikungunya sign is still unknown. However, it is believed that the pigmentation may be a result of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by the chikungunya virus.
What is chikungunya?
Chikungunya is spread through Aedes aegypti Mosquito and Aedes albopictus Mosquito. It causes high fever and joint pain, which can be severe in some cases. Cleveland Clinic says the name chikungunya means “hunched over” because of the joint pain the disease is known to cause. Although there are no medications to treat chikungunya, experts recommend focusing on managing symptoms. Most people recover from the disease within 6-7 days, but some suffer from long-lasting joint pain.
Variants of chikungunya
According to doctors, new variants of the chikungunya virus have been circulating as the disease is widespread in Maharashtra, especially during the monsoon. Many people have reported severe and unusual symptoms such as paralysis, blackening of the nose and dangerously low platelet counts, all of which have never been associated with chikungunya before.
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