"A debilitating, mosquito-borne virus called chikungunya has made its way to North Carolina, health officials say. It's the state's first reported case of the virus.
The patient was likely infected in the Caribbean, according to the Forsyth County Department of Public Health. Chikungunya is primarily found in Africa, East Asia and the Caribbean islands, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been watching the virus, for fear that it could take hold in the United States -- much like West Nile did more than a decade ago.
The virus, which can cause joint pain and arthritis-like symptoms, has been on the U.S. public health radar for some time. About 25 to 28 infected travelers bring it to the United States each year, said Roger Nasci, chief of the CDC's Arboviral Disease Branch in the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases."
Val Willingham reports for CNN June 13, 2014.
"Mosquito-Borne Virus Chikungunya Worries CDC"
Source: CNN, 06/13/2014
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