Challenges in diagnosing fever in traveler returning from tropical ares - is it dengue or chikungunya? Case report

Arthropod-borne viral infections caused by dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are prevalent in the same regions and are spread by the same mosquito type (Aedes) and have similar clinical manifestations. This study emphasized the challenges of diagnosing fever in a patient returning from a tropical area. We report a case of a 52-year-old patient who presented with fever, myalgia, and headache after travelling to Laos and Thailand. After ten days of the disease, the diagnosis of chikungunya was made. Recent travel history should be a standard part of assessment when consulting febrile patients and is essential for further diagnosis. Malaria should permanently be excluded from travellers returning from tropical regions with fever. In the differential diagnosis, dengue, chikungunya, and other mosquito-borne infections should be considered. Patients wishing to travel to such areas need to be educated beforehand on the necessary preventative measures.