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Lindsay Lohan says she contracted the untreatable chikungunya virus while vacationing in French Polynesia.
She shared the news to her followers on Twitter and Instagram on Dec. 27.
Doctors often compare the rare disease to dengue fever and it is transmitted through mosquitoe bites. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, rash and debilitating joint pain. There is no cure and the pain can last for months, according to the World Health Organization.
The 28 year-old actress had been in Europe after completing a theatrical staging of David Mamet’s “Speed the Plow” in London.
But Lohan, now back in the U.S., apparently isn’t going to let the virus ruin her vacation or New Year.
Get well soon, LiLo.
This sounds like a difficult illness, and I wish her well.
To be clear, however, all viruses are — by definition — untreatable. We can address some symptoms, like with chicken soup or ARV therapy for AIDS. Although we have antibiotics for bacteria, there is no cure for viruses.