Chennai infant suffers from rare black nose disease. What is it?

Chikungunya is a virus contracted through mosquito bites.

However, a new symptom known as “black nose disease” or “chik sign” is causing alarm among experts.

According to media reports, an infant in Chennai was diagnosed with the rare condition recently.

But what exactly is a black nose disease? Let’s take a look.

The rare case

The month-old baby girl in Chennai was brought to a dermatologist after she developed black patches on her nose after 15 days of being born.

The baby, otherwise healthy, exhibited a fever and irritability, followed by the appearance of dark spots on her nose.

Doctors have identified this condition as post-chikungunya hyperpigmentation, known as black nose disease.

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According to CNBC-TV18, the toddler’s mother was diagnosed with chikungunya shortly before giving birth.

She had symptoms like fever and joint pain for about five to six days, after which the infection was confirmed by a blood test.

Doctors have confirmed that the baby’s condition was harmless and required only basic treatment with a moisturiser.

Black Nose Disease

The Black Nose Disease, also known as “chik sign” or “brownie nose,” is often characterised by macular (flat), speckled pigmentation primarily affecting the nose, according to Hyderabad-based physician Dr Sai Kiran Chilukuri, as per The South First.

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It may also reach the nose’s sides and bridge.

According to experts, the dark pigmentation associated with black nose disease frequently appears a few weeks following the chikungunya fever phase.

Though it usually goes away on its own, this condition can occasionally continue up to six months.

This pigmentation on the centre of the face can mimic melasma.

Causes

It’s still unclear what specifically causes the chik sign.

However, it is believed to be the result of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation brought on by the chikungunya virus.

Treatment

It is recommended that patients apply broad-spectrum sunscreen in order to stop the afflicted areas from becoming darker.

Using moisturisers to keep the skin hydrated helps speed up the healing process.

Products with a four per cent concentration of hydroquinone or kojic acid may help lessen pigmentation by preventing the formation of melanin.

It is crucial to let patients know that this pigmentation is benign and just temporary.

Chikungunya

It is a virus that’s mostly transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

A sudden high fever, severe joint pain, headaches, muscle pain, and a rash that emerges after the fever goes down are the usual symptoms. In rare instances, it may potentially worsen.

First identified in 1952 during an outbreak in Tanzania, the name comes from the Makonde language, meaning “to become contorted,” due to the joint pain the illness is known to cause.

Joint pain can last for weeks or even months, even if the majority of symptoms go away in a few days.

The condition cannot be treated with medication; instead, doctors advise controlling the symptoms.

Based on skin symptoms, distinguishing chikungunya from other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes requires looking at the particular skin symptoms linked to each infection.

India’s first chikungunya outbreak was documented in West Bengal’s Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1963. In the subsequent year, outbreaks were reported in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Rajahmundry, Nagpur, and Pondicherry, Vellore, and Chennai, according to The South First.

The last notable outbreak of the 20th century was recorded in Maharashtra’s Barsi in 1973.

Re-emergence of the disease in India

India saw major and uncommon chikungunya outbreaks between 2005 and 2010, with over 1.25 million suspected cases recorded in the hardest-hit areas.

Another significant outbreak struck India in 2016, with 64,057 confirmed cases nationwide. Since then, chikungunya has swept across India and become prevalent, with frequent outbreaks leading to substantial damages in terms of productivity and the economy.

The virus has changed over time, and circulating strains have been found to have many mutations.

As of early September of this year, Maharashtra had reported 2,643 confirmed cases, while Uttar Pradesh had reported about 4,345 cases; the southern states had reported 1,358 cases, with 11 of those being in Telangana, as per Times Now.

Severe and uncommon symptoms such as blackening of the nose, paralysis, and dangerously low platelet counts have been reported by many, all of which were previously unrelated to chikungunya.

With inputs from agencies