Chikungunya RNA
Also known as Chikungunya Rna Pcr BloodWhat is this test?
This test helps to find the chikungunya virus RNA in the blood.
What is Chikungunya and Chikungunya Antibodies?
Chikungunya is a viral disease caused by Alphavirus. It is transmitted to humans by the infected mosquitoes. It is rarely fatal and has been identified in nearly forty 40 countries. The virus remains in the human body for 5-7 days. Chikungunya has similar symptoms as dengue and one can misdiagnosis the disease. Individuals who are suffering from chikungunya may have symptoms such as nausea, muscle pain, fatigue, high fever, joint pains, swelling of the joint, etc.
Chikungunya antibodies are the antibodies produced by the immune system to fight the chikungunya.
Why this test is performed:-
This test is performed to check the presence of Chikungunya virus RNA in the blood. The doctor may ask you to undergo this test if you are suffering from symptoms such as high fever, joint swelling, joint pain, rashes, severe headache, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue etc.
If you are on treatment for Chikungunya, the doctor may ask you to perform this test to evaluate and to check the effectiveness of the treatment. Mostly, this test is done along with other tests to confirm the diagnosis.
How often this test should be performed:
If you have been diagnosed with chikungunya, your doctor may advise you to get this test done once in a year based on your clinical condition. If you are a healthy individual above the age of 35, your doctor may advise you to undergo this test either on a yearly basis or every other year.
Precautions:
Contaminated blood samples may give false positive results. In such cases, it is recommended to do a new sample collection and repeat the test.
Test Preparation
Inform your doctor if you are on any medications, have any allergies or underlying medical conditions before your Chikungunya RNA. Your doctor will give specific instructions depending on your condition on how to prepare for Chikungunya RNA.
There are no specific preparations required for this test.
Understanding your test results
The test results may be different depending on gender, age, health conditions, and other factors.
If the test results are negative it may indicate that there is no chikungunya virus RNA in the blood and no infection of chikungunya virus.
The negative results do not rule out the possibility of the infection and hence retesting is recommended after a few days.
In case the test results are positive it may indicate that there is chikungunya virus RNA in the blood.
Based on the test results, your doctor may advise appropriate medical treatments, lifestyle modifications, or further diagnostic tests.
| Gender | Age groups | Value |
| MALE | All age groups | A viral load is seen in patients who are infected with the virus. Else, the result is negative |
| FEMALE | All age groups | A viral load is seen in patients who are infected with the virus. Else, the result is negative |