Re-emergence of chikungunya as a public health problem in North India: A dermatologist’s perspective on the mucocutaneous manifestations — An observational cross-sectional study

Objectives: Chikungunya fever is an Aedes mosquito-borne arboviral illness with significant morbidity. Recognizing and understanding a plethora of these mucocutaneous manifestations is essential for early diagnosis and timely intervention. Hence, the aim was to establish the role of dermatologists in public health problems in viral epidemics on the basis of mucocutaneous manifestations, as there is an upsurge of viral exanthems in recent years. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in patients who attended the outpatient department from June 2023 to December 2023 according to the case definition. Immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for serological confirmation of chikungunya. Results: Of 164 patients, 157 patients satisfied the suspected case definition criteria and were screened for chikungunya; the positive serological reactivity was noted in 43% of the cases. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.37. The most common age group affected was 20–40 years with a mean age of 37.27 ± 17.3 years. The most common mucocutaneous manifestations observed were maculopapular rash (43.9%), followed by facial hyperpigmentation (13.3%) and CHIK sign (5.7%). Lichenoid hyperpigmentation and arthralgia formed the most important post-febrile sequelae during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Dermatologists are playing a pivotal role in the detection and surveillance of neglected tropical diseases. Mucocutaneous manifestations of viral exanthems provide an early clinical clue for their detection, and this study reinforces the findings of previous studies. Therefore, awareness regarding these cutaneous manifestations becomes essential for their detection and also helps in halting the spread and re-emergence of viral infection.