Chikungunya
Causative Agent: Alphavirus of the family Togaviridae
Disease Type: Viral disease with potential for explosive outbreaks
A Growing Global Health Burden
Chikungunya has increased and spread drastically since 2004, affecting over 60 countries worldwide
Key Statistics
8M+
Reported infections (2004-2017)
~100M
Estimated total infections
60+
Countries with reported outbreaks
68%
Maximum attack rate during outbreaks
About Chikungunya
Chikungunya is a viral disease caused by infection with an alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. The disease has increased and spread drastically since 2004, with about 8 million reported infections between 2004 and 2017. However, experts estimate the true burden is much higher, with up to 100 million total infections likely occurring during this period.
Outbreaks of chikungunya have been reported in more than 60 countries globally, with the heaviest burden in South-East Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These outbreaks can be explosive, with attack rates reaching up to 68%, placing a sudden and heavy burden on health services in affected areas.
Symptoms and Health Impact
Common Symptoms:
- •Sudden onset of fever
- •Severe joint pain
- •Muscle pain
- •Headache
- •Rash
- •Lymphopenia
Joint pain may persist for months or years, causing long-term disability in some cases.
Risks Requiring Mitigation
Chikungunya outbreaks present several challenges to healthcare systems and affected populations:
- •Outbreaks may overwhelm the capacity of existing health infrastructure and workforce
- •Single manufacturers of medicines that are difficult to produce at the required quantity and quality
- •Limited availability of treatments for concomitant diseases (e.g., anemia, malnutrition, coinfections) may increase case-fatality rate
Global Distribution
Chikungunya outbreaks have been reported in more than 60 countries worldwide, with the heaviest burden in:
- •South-East Asia
- •Africa
- •Latin America
Challenges in Understanding Burden
Despite its significant impact, the true burden of chikungunya remains poorly understood:
- •Widespread underreporting of cases
- •Limited surveillance capacity in many affected areas
- •Difficulty distinguishing from other febrile illnesses
- •Expert estimates suggest up to 100 million infections
AM2NTD's Work
AM2NTD is developing mathematical models to better understand chikungunya transmission dynamics and support outbreak preparedness in endemic African regions.
Learn about our projects