Movement of Chikungunya Virus into the Western Hemisphere

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted in an urban epidemic cycle by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti andAe. albopictus. CHIKV outbreaks are characterized by rapid spread and infection rates as high as 75%; 72%–93% of infected persons become symptomatic. The disease manifests as acute fever and potentially debilitating polyarthralgia. In a variable proportion of cases, polyarthritis and fatigue can persist for 2 years or longer. During outbreaks, the large percentage of symptomatic infections places a considerable strain on resources of local health care providers and hospitals. Fortunately, death from chikungunya is rare (read more)