Overseas Travel Chikungunya Considerations

Welcome to the IHateTaxis.com overseas travel medical support section. These pages are intended to provide overseas travel medical guidance for your trip preparation. Travel medical Information presented here was written by a experienced travelling registered nurse and advice given is not intended to replace that of a physician. If you need additional information, please consult your local health provider.

Chikungunya (in the Makonde language "that which bends up") virus (CHIKV) is an insect-borne virus, of the genus, Alphavirus, that is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes. There have been recent outbreaks of CHIKV associated with severe morbidity. CHIKV causes an illness with symptoms similar to dengue fever. CHIKV manifests itself with an acute febrile phase of the illness lasts only two to five days, followed by a prolonged arthralgic disease that affects the joints of the extremities. The pain associated with CHIKV infection of the joints persists for weeks or months, or in some cases years.

Source: Wikipedia.

The map below is from the World Health Organization and gives a general distribution of the problem. Do not make your own assessment from this map, but rather discuss the issue with your doctor prior to travel.