[Oral manifestations of chikungunya virus. a cross-sectional study].

Abstract

Introduction: chikungunya virus was isolated in humans for the first time in 1952 after an epidemic in Tanzania, during 2023 the largest chikungunya epidemic occurred in Paraguay.

Objective: to determine the most frequent oral manifestations self-reported by chikungunya-infected patients in a Paraguayan population group. Materials and methods: a cross-sectional observational study was carried out during September and October 2024, with research subjects who suffered from chikungunya. The instrument had two sections: the first covered the study information and sociodemographic data. The second section indicated the presence of any oral manifestation during the course of the disease, the options were catalogued in a dichotomous manner ("yes" or "no"), the subjects who indicated the presence of any oral manifestation also indicated its intensity ("mild", "moderate" or "severe").

Results: 131 subjects participated; female sex predominated and the average age was 35 years. The three most frequent oral manifestations were gum pain (43.5%), burning sensation in the mouth (41.9%) and the presence of ulcers (31.2%). Oral ulcers were considered the most severe manifestation.

Conclusion: the most frequently reported oral manifestations were gum pain, burning sensation and the presence of oral ulcers. In terms of intensity, the most severe oral manifestations were the presence of ulcers, difficulty in chewing and/or swallowing and loss of taste.