Chikungunya, the 'case zero' in the Bologna area is imported: no indigenous infection.

The Bologna Local Health Authority has identified the source of the first infection, initially considered indigenous. Meanwhile, preventive measures continue in Bentivoglio.

The case of a "zero" Chikungunya infection in the municipality of Bentivoglio (Bologna) is an imported case . The person was returning from a trip to a high-risk area. The first case identified in the same municipality, initially considered indigenous, could also be reclassified, having identified the source of the infection as the mosquito that subsequently bit the person who tested positive in recent days, despite not having traveled, as Adnkronos Salute has learned from the Bologna Local Health Authority (AUSL), which is following the case.

The Public Health Department of the Bologna Local Health Authority, in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Municipality of Bentivoglio, is continuing the actions outlined in the Regional Arbovirus Surveillance and Control Plan, which were already activated following the confirmed case of Chikungunya infection in the municipality of Bentivoglio. At the same time, epidemiological investigations have identified the probable index case, or case zero, the first person infected: a person returning from a trip to a high-risk area. This case is therefore classified as an imported case.

The discovery of the probable index case, the Local Health Authority adds, allows us to better define the event and confirms the effectiveness of the monitoring activities already underway. Preventive measures will continue in the coming days—weather permitting—with targeted disinfestation interventions in the identified areas . Local health doctors are also involved. Chikungunya is a disease typical of tropical areas that is transmitted to humans through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes, including the tiger mosquito. The virus is not transmitted from person to person. To best control the event, it is important for the public to actively cooperate by following health guidelines and promptly reporting any symptoms.

According to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità website, after an incubation period of up to 12 days (average 3-7 days), fever and joint pain suddenly appear, limiting patients' movement (hence the name chikungunya, which in Swahili means "that which curves" or "twists"). Patients therefore tend to remain completely immobile and assume pain-relieving positions. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, fatigue, and a skin rash. The joint pain is often debilitating, typically lasting a few days but can be prolonged.

In most cases, patients recover fully, however, in some cases, joint pain can persist for months or even years. Symptoms in infected individuals are often mild, and the infection may go unrecognized or misinterpreted, especially in areas where dengue is present. Ocular, neurological, cardiac, and gastrointestinal complications have occasionally been reported. Serious complications rarely occur, however, in the elderly, the disease can be a contributing cause of death.