Chikungunya virus

Chikungunya virus is an RNA virus belonging to the genus Alphavirus of the Togaviridae family. Its name comes from the Makonde language and means ‘he who bends’, referring to the joint pain it causes. It was first identified in Tanzania in 1952, and has since spread to more than 110 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Transmission occurs mainly through the bite of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same mosquitoes that can transmit dengue and Zika. Bites usually occur during the day. In regions where much of the population has already been infected and is immune, transmission tends to disappear, but remains active where there are still many susceptible people.

Symptoms usually appear 2-12 days after the bite and include sudden fever, severe joint pain (sometimes lasting for weeks or months), rash, muscle aches, headache, nausea and fatigue. Although not usually fatal, it can cause serious complications in newborns, older people or those with pre-existing illnesses.

Diagnosis is based on symptoms and exposure history, confirmed by molecular tests such as RT-PCR in the first week, or serological tests that detect antibodies from the second week onwards.

There is no specific antiviral treatment or licensed vaccine. Management is symptomatic: analgesics (preferably paracetamol), fluids and fluids for the first week.