CHIKUNGUNYA

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has been identified in >110 countries

OVERVIEWSIGNS & SYMPTOMSDISEASE PROTECTION

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WHAT IS CHIKUNGUNYA?

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has been identified in >110 countries. The word “Chikungunya” is derived from the Kimakonde language and means “that which bends up”, it describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain.1

VACCINATION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PROTECTION AGAINST CHIKUNGUNYA2,3

MOST PEOPLE EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS

65–85% of people infected with chikungunya develop symptoms such as fever and joint pain.4

LONG TERM ILLNESS

Up to 43% of patients remain symptomatic after three months.5

SPREADING RAPIDLY

Chikungunya outbreaks are expected to spread as a result of climate change and the expanding range of mosquitoes.6

VACCINE PROTECTION IS AVAILABLE

There is no specific antiviral treatment for infection with chikungunya: vaccination is the most effective means of protection.1,2,4

TRAVEL RISK ASSESSMENT

An individual risk assessment can identify travellers who are eligible for chikungunya vaccination.7

TRANSMISSION OF CHIKUNGUNYA

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is transmitted by the bite of infected female mosquitoes, most commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which can also transmit dengue and Zika viruses.1 These mosquitoes tend to be outdoor, daytime biters and are known for their affinity for biting humans.8

Historically, chikungunya predominantly occurred in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. However, more recently, Aedes mosquitoes’ habitats have expanded, and chikungunya has spread further around the world.6,9

CHIKUNGUNYA OUTBREAKS ARE INCREASING

Outbreaks have occurred across many regions and many popular tourist destinations including India, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.10,11 The spread of chikungunya has been noted in taken place in Europe due to the expansion of the Aedes albopictus mosquito habitats.9

For example, in 2025, France and Italy reported 788 and 384 chikungunya cases, respectively.12 Furthermore, in the first half of 2025, there were 73 travel-related chikungunya cases reported across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This represents a 170% increase compared to the same period in 2024 in the UK.13

HIGH NUMBERS OF PEOPLE LIVE IN CHIKUNGUNYA RISK AREAS

620,000 cases of chikungunya were reported in 2024, and it is estimated that 75% of the world’s population live in risk areas.14,15 Increased rates of travel and tourism may be facilitating the spread of chikungunya and global underreporting of chikungunya cases means the actual incidence of infection is likely to be much higher.16

Risk to travellers is greatest in areas experiencing ongoing epidemics, which usually occur during the tropical rainy season and abate during the dry season.4

Although anyone can be infected by CHIKV, several groups face increased risk for severe disease. Being over age 60, and comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease are common risk factors for developing severe symptomatic disease.17

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHIKUNGUNYA

Get in-depth info on signs, symptoms, disease protection and more.

CHIKUNGUNYA

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Spot the signs that may indicate chikungunya and learn more about the disease’s lasting effects.

CHIKUNGUNYA

DISEASE PROTECTION

Help protect your patients against the risk of developing chikungunya.

Useful Links
References
  1. World Health Organization. Chikungunya fact sheet. April 2025. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya. Accessed: August 2026.
  2. Kang H. Vaccinating children key to protection against chikungunya. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. December 2025. Available at: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2026/vaccinating-children-key-protection-against-chikungunya. Accessed: August 2026.
  3. Kling K, Falman A, Branke L, et al. Vaccination against chikungunya - a systematic review on the immunogenicity, tolerability, and safety of the live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) Ixchiq and the virus like particle (VLP) vaccine Vimkunya. Vaccine. 2026;75:128251.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chikungunya. Yellow Book. January 2026. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-associated-infections-diseases/chikungunya.html. Accessed: August 2026.
  5. Paixão ES, Rodrigues LC, Costa M da CN, et al. Chikungunya chronic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2018;112(7):301-316.
  6. Ryan SJ, Carlson CJ, Mordecai EA, Johnson LR. Global expansion and redistribution of Aedes-borne virus transmission risk with climate change. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2019;13(3):e0007213.
  7. GOV.UK. Chikungunya vaccine in UK travellers: JCVI advice. March 2026. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chikungunya-vaccine-for-uk-travellers-jcvi-advice-16-july-2025/chikungunya-vaccine-in-uk-travellers-jcvi-advice. Accessed: August 2026.
  8. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Aedes albopictus - Factsheet for experts. December 2016. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/disease-vectors/facts/mosquito-factsheets/aedes-albopictus. Accessed: August 2026.
  9. Venkatesan P. Expanding threat of chikungunya in 2025. The Lancet Microbe. 2025;6(12).
  10. World Health Organization. Global chikungunya epidemiology update. June 2025. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/epp/ezh/chikungunya-epidemiology-update_11june2025.pdf. Accessed: August 2026.
  11. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Chikungunya virus disease worldwide overview. March 2026. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chikungunya-monthly. Accessed: August 2026.
  12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Seasonal surveillance for chikungunya virus disease in the EU/EEA for 2025. 2026. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chikungunya-virus-disease/surveillance-and-updates/seasonal-surveillance. Accessed: August 2026.
  13. UK Health Security Agency. Travel-associated infections in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: January to June 2025. March 2026. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/travel-associated-infections/travel-associated-infections-in-england-wales-and-northern-ireland-january-to-june-2025. Accessed: August 2026.
  14. Puntasecca CJ, King CH, LaBeaud AD. Measuring the global burden of chikungunya and Zika viruses: A systematic review. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2021;15(3):e0009055.
  15. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Chikungunya virus disease case notification rate per 100 000 population, January 2024-December 2024. February 2025. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/chikungunya-virus-disease-case-notification-rate-100-000-population-january-2024. Accessed: August 2026.
  16. Montalvo Zurbia-Flores G, Reyes-Sandoval A, Kim YC. Chikungunya Virus: Priority Pathogen or Passing Trend? Vaccines (Basel). 2023;11(3):568.
  17. Micheleto JPC, Melo KA, Veloso FCS, Kassar SB, Oliveira MJC. Risk factors for mortality in patients with chikungunya: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trop Med Int Health. 2025;30(4):235-245.

UK-CH-2600004 (v2.0) August 2026