Chikungunya, a mosquito borne disease characterized by joint pain and swelling, has similar symptoms as those seen in individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers have also found that in blood tests, individuals who have the Chikungunya virus and those with rheumatoid arthritis have similar results causing some patients who are infected with Chikungunya to be misdiagnosed.
Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis revealed these findings in a report published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatology, which highlight the need for doctors to get the travel and medical histories of patients to help identify which of the two conditions is responsible for their ailments.
"For now, good travel histories of patients are among the best diagnostic tools for physicians," study researcher Jonathan Mine and colleagues said. "Recent travel to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Africa, India or other areas where the virus is prevalent should raise suspicions of Chikungunya infection."
The researchers added that besides the travel histories of patients, certain symptoms can also hint of Chikungunya infection. The disease, for instance, often begins with high fever and the sudden onset of severe pain in the joints, symptoms that are not often seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
For the new study, Jonathan Miner and colleagues involved ten individuals who were infected with Chikungunya when they traveled to Haiti in June 2014. These patients were assessed between seven to 10 weeks after exhibiting symptoms, during which, eight of them developed arthritis and some had severe joint pain that made it difficult for them to walk.
The study also looked at healthy subjects and newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients who had not yet been given treatments.
The researchers were able to positively identify chikungunya by performing highly specialized tests of the subjects' immune system. Such tests, however, are only available at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in research labs.
Mine and his team pointed out that while the mosquito-borne disease often leads to a variety of symptoms such as fever and rash, these often subside after several days. The severe joint pain though can last as long as over a year.
The researchers said that differentiating Chikungunya from rheumatoid arthritis in the early stage can be challenging as early symptoms are not distinct enough.
Study author Deborah Lenschow said that since the Chikungunya virus is expected to spread widely in the U.S., it is crucial to develop improved tools for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the disease.
