Chikungunya

基孔肯雅热

Evidence-backed information EN 5/7 applicable sections · ZH 5/7 applicable sections Updated Oct 23, 2026

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus, an RNA alphavirus in the Togaviridae family, producing fever and severe joint pain ^[1]^[2]^[3]. The illness has re-emerged globally with large-scale outbreaks across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, representing a growing public-health concern ^[4]^[5]. Although typically self-limited, it can impose substantial burden through prolonged disability and infrequent severe outcomes ^[1]^[4]^[5].

Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile 6

Definition

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected female Aedes mosquitoes, caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an RNA virus of the alphavirus genus in the family Togaviridae ^[1]^[2]^[3]. The name derives from a Kimakonde term meaning 'that which bends up,' describing the stooped posture of those with severe joint pain ^[2]^[3].

Clinical features

The disease typically begins abruptly with fever and severe joint pain, frequently accompanied by muscle pain, headache, rash, nausea, and fatigue ^[1]^[2]^[3]. Symptoms usually appear 4–8 days after a mosquito bite and are generally self-limiting over days to weeks, though joint pain may persist for months in some cases ^[1]^[3]. Severe presentations, including neurological complications and rare deaths, have been reported in a minority of infections ^[5].

Epidemiology

CHIKV was first identified in Tanzania in 1952 and later spread through Africa and Asia, with urban outbreaks recorded from the 1960s–1970s ^[2]^[3]. Since 2004, outbreaks have grown more frequent and widespread, and the virus has now been reported in over 110 countries across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe ^[2]^[3]. In the past 15 years, major epidemics have affected the Indian Ocean, Caribbean, and Americas, with viral adaptation to Aedes albopictus enabling expansion into temperate zones ^[4].

Transmission

The virus is transmitted to people by the bite of infected female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which feed mainly during daylight hours and lay eggs in standing water ^[1]^[2]^[3]. An uninfected mosquito becomes infected after feeding on a person with circulating virus, then can transmit to others; patients in the first week of illness can infect mosquitoes through bites ^[2]. Genetic adaptation to Aedes albopictus raises the potential for further geographic spread ^[4].

Prevention

Avoiding mosquito bites is the primary protection, and suspected cases should prevent bites during the first week of illness to limit mosquito infection ^[1]^[2]. Community mobilization to remove water-holding containers, dispose of waste, and support vector-control programmes reduces breeding sites ^[2]. Insecticide spraying may be used during outbreaks, and approved vaccines exist but are not yet widely available ^[2].

References

1 World Health Organization. Chikungunya [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/chikungunya
2 World Health Organization. Chikungunya fact sheet [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya
3 World Health Organization. Chikungunya [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/chikungunya
4 Burt FJ et al. Chikungunya virus: an update on the biology and pathogenesis of this emerging pathogen. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017 Apr. PMID: 28159534. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(16)30385-1. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28159534/
5 de Lima Cavalcanti TYV et al. A Review on Chikungunya Virus Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Current Vaccine Development. Viruses. 2022 May 5. PMID: 35632709. doi: 10.3390/v14050969. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35632709/