title: Inflammation of the external ear in acute chikungunya infection: Experience from the outbreak in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, 2008.
abstract: The re-emerging invalidating chikungunya disease has recently extended to temperate areas. Other alphaviruses can also present with febrile arthalgias. Dengue virus transmitted by the same species of mosquitoes may cocirculate, leading to dual infections and concurrent epidemics. Although these diseases share similar clinical features, their prognoses considerably differ. Prominent and prolonged articular disorders are more consistent with chikungunya virus, whereas haemorrhages make the gravity of dengue infection. Specific symptoms are required, especially when diagnostic tests are not available or performable at a large scale. Indeed, early clinical suspicion of a vector-borne disease is crucial to isolate the first cases in the course of an outbreak, and discrimination between arboviruses help to optimal management of patients. No specific chikungunya clinical sign has been yet reported. We highlight here the high prevalence (about 25%) of acute ear redness in infected people during the 2008 chikungunya outbreak in Jahor Bahru in Malaysia. Nine consenting patients are more precisely described. Ear chondritis could be sensitive diagnostic criterion of the acute stage of chikungunya, every physician - even in occidental non endemic areas - should be aware of.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Laveran Military Teaching Hospital, Marseille, France. Electronic address: emilie.javelle@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Javelle
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Johor Bahru, Jalan Bakek, Pontian, Malaysia. Electronic address: dr_tee@streamyx.com.
authors.forename: Tee Hua
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tiong
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center for Arboviral Diseases, Biomedical Research Institute, French Military Health Service, Marseille, France. Electronic address: isabelle.leparcgoffart@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leparc-Goffart
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Laveran Military Teaching Hospital, Marseille, France. Electronic address: helene.savini@laposte.net.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Laveran Military Teaching Hospital, Marseille, France. Electronic address: simon-f@wanadoo.fr.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D065632:Chikungunya Fever; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chikungunya; Chondritis; Ear; Malaysia