Pogosta disease

Pogosta disease is a viral disease.[1][2] The symptoms of the disease usually include rash, as well as mild fever and other flu-like symptoms; in most cases the symptoms last less than 5 days. However, in some cases, the patients develop a painful arthritis. There are no known chemical agents available to treat the disease.[3]

Pogosta disease
Other namesKarelian fever, Ockelbo disease
SpecialtyInfectious disease

Signs and symptoms

Cause

It has long been suspected that the disease is caused by a Sindbis-like virus, a positive-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Alphavirus genus and family Togaviridae.[1] In 2002 a strain of Sindbis was isolated from patients during an outbreak of the Pogosta disease in Finland, confirming the hypothesis.[3]

Treatment

There is currently no treatment available.

Epidemiology

This disease is mainly found in the Eastern parts of Finland; the disease was first detected in 1974 in the old parish village of Ilomantsi, sometimes called Pogosta.[4] A typical Pogosta disease patient is a middle-aged person who has been infected through a mosquito bite while picking berries in the autumn. The prevalence of the disease is about 100 diagnosed cases every year, with larger outbreaks occurring in 7-year intervals.[3]

Etymology

It is also known as Karelian fever and Ockelbo disease. The names are derived from the words Pogosta, Karelia and Ockelbo.

References
  1. Lvov, D. K.; Vladimirtseva, E. A.; Butenko, A. M.; Karabatsos, N.; Trent, D. W.; Calisher, C. H. (1988). "Identity of Karelian fever and Ockelbo viruses determined by serum dilution-plaque reduction neutralization tests and oligonucleotide mapping". The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 39 (6): 607–610. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.1988.39.607. PMID 2849885.
  2. Laine, Maria (2002). Pogosta Disease. University of Turku. ISBN 951-29-2129-4.
  3. Kurkela S, Manni T, Vaheri A, Vapalahti O (May 2004). "Causative agent of Pogosta disease isolated from blood and skin lesions". Emerg Infect Dis. 10 (5): 889–894. doi:10.3201/eid1005.030689. PMC 3323234. PMID 15200824.
  4. Virus unique to Finland sees biggest outbreak in decades – Yle News
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