HealthScapades Episode #3 | The problem of Chikungunya starts with the name | 22.02.2024
Okay. Okay. I know I have been difficult, but no one can blame me. I know no one asked me to take this course, but I deserve some pity.
Because what in the name of our Lord is Chikiguyan? Wait, what? That’s not how to pronounce it? I look at my online tutor once again with side eyes. Is he thinking I’m finding this funny? Why is he smiling? Chiki-what?
“Alright, say after me. Chikun-“, my tutor started again.
“Chiki -“
“No, not ‘Chiki’. It’s ‘Chikun’. Say Chikun-“
“Chikun-“, I say with a full scowl now.
“-gunya.”
“-guya.”
“-gunya. Not guya. -gunya.”
“-gunya”
“Good. Now pronounce them together. Chikungunya”
“Chikungunya.”
“Great,” he says with a smile. “Now, let’s move on. The next are Japanese Encephalitis Virus, Dengue virus and…”
Encepha-what? Am I not in trouble like this? “Sir,” I cut in, “Can I digest this Chiki…Chikungunya first…?” This man definitely doesn’t want me to drink water drop cup.
“Alright, alright. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow then. Make sure you read all about that virus by tomorrow. See ya”
“Okay, sir,” I grunt the reply out as I close my laptop. I don’t know who send me work, but I don find work.
In order to improve my knowledge about infectious diseases, I registered for some online courses, and one of them was about arthropod-borne viruses, a.k.a. arboviruses. They are viruses transmitted by arthropods, some types of insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, which can suck blood.
Everything had been dandy since the start of the course, with mention of viruses like the Yellow Fever virus and West Nile virus, until recently when he dropped the Chikungunya virus.
Chiki-what? Chiki-wetin?
God abeg o. The name of the virus already sounds dangerous, so why not the virus itself? For all I know, the sickness starts with the weird name, which actually means “that which bends up’ due to its chronic and incapacitating arthritis symptoms. And it’s spread by some special breed of mosquitoes called Asian Tiger mosquitoes
Did I hear you say “What?!” Yeah, you heard right. The weird disease called Chikungunya is spread around by even more weird mosquitoes called Asian Tiger mosquitoes. It just keeps getting better. And weirder.
Anyway, since I’m still learning about it, you will learn more about the virus and the disease it causes by reading the article ‘Overview of Chikungunya (Virus) Fever’ (www.microbiotics.com.ng/chikungunya-virus-fever/). You will learn how to protect yourself from tiger or even ‘lion’ mosquitoes and how to get treatment if you already have it.
People like my good friend, Ade, who doesn’t like reading much, can listen to talks about the virus by visiting YouTube (https://youtu.be/9ubvpD1gejc?si=d4IRyYWWZaB3aRdJ). I hope he won’t laugh when he hears the name.
I’ll tell him to better calmly pronounce it before he breaks his teeth.