Hansen’s disease Like Sensory Loss Following Chikungunya Infection: A Rare Manifestation

Chikungunya means “that which bends up,” indicating severe incapacitating arthritis or polyarthralgia. It is a viral infection caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIK V) belonging to the family Togaviridae and is transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. It is a self-limiting condition with a high fever of up to 40°C (104°F), debilitating arthritis/polyarthralgia, and cutaneous involvement. CHIK V virus affects the joints causing tenosynovitis and enthesopathy presenting as arthralgia. Leprosy is also associated with the loss of sensation, arthritis/arthralgias including involvement of several joints and tenosynovitis specially during reactions. Apart from leprosy, numerous other conditions can present with loss of sensation, which must be ruled out while considering leprosy. We report two patients with chikungunya who presented with a loss of sensation like leprosy.