Chikungunya Virus

Chikungunya is a viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus.​

The disease mostly occurs in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. However, a major outbreak in 2015 affected several countries of the Region of the Americas, and sporadic outbreaks are seen elsewhere.​

Due to the challenges in accurate diagnosis for chikungunya, there is no real estimate for the number of people affected by the disease globally on an annual basis.

There is currently no vaccine or specific drug against the virus. The treatment is focused on relieving the disease symptoms.

Chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans via infected mosquitos.

The disease shares some clinical signs with Dengue and Zika and can be misdiagnosed in areas where they are common.​

Severe cases and deaths from chikungunya are very rare and are almost always related to other existing health problems.