What is it about ?
Pogosta disease is a viral infection caused by the Sindbis virus. This virus is transmitted by mosquitoes in late summer. The disease is mostly found in Finland in August and September.
What is its frequency?
In Belgium, there are no known cases of Pogosta disease. In Finland, this virus sometimes causes large epidemics, but more often the number of cases is a few hundred per year.
How to recognize it?
Typical symptoms are as follows:
- inflammation of the joints ;
- itchy rash on the trunk and limbs;
- tired ;
- slight fever.
Other symptoms are sometimes present:
The most affected joints are the ankles, fingers, wrists and knees. This inflammation of the joints causes joint swelling and pain, especially with movement.
What can you do ?
To prevent illness, wear protective clothing (long sleeves and pants) and apply insect repellant to exposed skin.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and ask you when you have been abroad and for how long. If there is reason to suspect Pogosta’s disease, he will order a blood test.
What can the doctor do?
There is no medicine to cure the condition, but the doctor may prescribe medicine that relieves the symptoms. An anti-inflammatory medication can reduce joint pain. Usually, the rash and fever will go away within a few days. Joint pain can last much longer, often several weeks and sometimes even months or years.
Want to know more?
- Mosquito repellent measures – IMT – Institute of Tropical Medicine
- Good use of repellents – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information (offers in particular a few names of specialties with a sufficient high concentration)
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