Extract

Sir, Chikungunya (CHIK) virus, a member of the Alphavirus genus in the family Togaviridae, was first isolated from the serum of a febrile human in the Newala district, Tanzania, in 1953 [1].

CHIK is an important human pathogen that causes a syndrome characterized by fever, chills, headache and severe joint pain with or without swelling (usually the smaller joints). The name is derived from the Makonde word meaning ‘that which bends up’ in reference to the stooped posture developed as a result of the arthritic symptoms of the disease [2, 3].

CHIK is geographically distributed from Africa through Southeast Asia and South America, and its transmission to humans is mainly through Aedes species mosquitoes [4].

Since 1953, CHIK has caused numerous well-documented outbreaks and epidemics in both Africa and Southeast Asia, involving hundreds of thousands of people [2].

CHIK virus outbreak of unprecedented magnitude is currently ongoing in Indian Ocean territories principally involving Réunion Island, Comoro, Mauritius, Seychelles and southwestern India [3, 5].

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