Chikungunya Fact Sheet

The disease Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes that causes fever and severe joint pains. It is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.

The mosquito
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes spread or pass on the chikungunya virus. This type of mosquito also spreads the dengue virus.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms are fever and severe joint pains, often in the hands, wrist and ankles. Prolonged effects include arthritis and disabling joint pains. In some cases, symptoms can last for months and even years.

Other symptoms include headache, backache, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue and rash.

Persons at high risk for more severe symptoms
 Newborns and the elderly
 Women late in their pregnancy as there is increased risk of disease in the unborn child
 Persons with underlying medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or heart disease…READ MORE