[Chikungunya in paediatrics: epidemic of 2005-2006 in Saint-Denis, Reunion Island]

Abstract

During the southern-hemispheric 2005-2006 summer, Reunion Island was struck by an epidemic of Chikungunya (Chik), which affected more than a third of the overall population.

Objectives: Our objective was to describe pediatric cases of Chick.

Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive monocentric study of confirmed pediatric cases of Chik recruited at Saint-Denis' departmental hospital during the peak of the epidemic (January 1st to April 30th 2006).

Results: Eighty-six children aged 10 days to 18 years were included. In addition to the typical clinical presentation, we observed other phenotypes. Well-known complicated forms with neurologic, cardiac, gastro-intestinal (plus dehydration) involvement were thoroughly investigated using modern medical technology. We observed 2 fatal cases of acute disease in 9-year-old children: death resulted from a central nervous system insult in one case, and multisystemic neurological, cardiac, haemorrhagic involvement in another. Severe acute presentations requiring hospital admission involved mainly children aged less than 6 months, and those with cardiac, skin and neurologic impairment. The study identified 3 cases of epidermolysis bullosa, which to our knowledge, have never been described previously.

Conclusion: Chik in children warrants further research in order to propose early and appropriate treatments to avoid complications.