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Disease

Chikungunya

Learn about chikungunya, including its symptoms, diagnosis, laboratory tests, treatment and prevention.

Last Reviewed 25 Jul 2026
Reading Time 7 min read

Overview

If you have ever had a fever come on suddenly, followed by joint pain so severe that walking or even holding a cup feels difficult, chikungunya is one of the illnesses worth knowing about. It spreads through the same mosquitoes that carry dengue, and in places where both circulate, it is easy to mistake one for the other.

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Key Fact

The name chikungunya comes from a Kimakonde word meaning “that which bends up,” describing the stooped, contorted posture caused by severe joint pain. That joint pain, not the fever, is usually what people remember most.

Warning

Newborns infected around the time of birth and older adults with existing health conditions face a higher risk of severe illness. Seek medical care promptly for fever and joint pain in these groups rather than waiting to see if symptoms pass.

AT A GLANCE

Disease Summary

Category Infectious Disease
Cause Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus spread by infected mosquitoes
Transmission Bites from infected Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquitoes
Body System Joints and Musculoskeletal System
Preventable Yes
Curable Yes

Symptoms

Common Symptoms

Most people with chikungunya experience one or more of the following symptoms, usually starting three to seven days after a mosquito bite.

Sudden Fever

Fever often begins abruptly and can rise quickly, sometimes above 39°C.

Severe Joint Pain

Often the most disabling symptom, typically affecting several joints at once, including the hands, wrists, and ankles.

Muscle Pain

Muscle aches commonly accompany the fever and joint pain.

Headache

Headaches are common during the initial days of illness.

Rash

A rash can appear on the trunk and limbs, usually a few days after the fever begins.

Danger Signs

Seek urgent medical attention if any of the following develop.

Illness in a Newborn

Babies infected around the time of birth face a higher risk of severe illness and need prompt evaluation.

Confusion or Severe Drowsiness

Neurological complications are uncommon but have been reported, and require urgent attention.

Eye Pain or Vision Changes

Eye complications have occasionally been reported and should be assessed promptly.

Joint Pain That Prevents Movement

Pain severe enough to stop normal movement, particularly in older adults or people with underlying health conditions, warrants medical assessment.

Diagnosis

Clinical Assessment

Diagnosis usually starts with a review of symptoms, timing, and recent travel or exposure history, since chikungunya, dengue, and Zika can look very similar in the early days.

RT-PCR Testing

A test that detects the virus itself in the blood. It is most reliable during the first week of illness.

Antibody Testing

Detects the body’s immune response to the virus. Antibodies typically become detectable after the first week and can be found for around two months afterward.
Important
Because chikungunya, dengue, and Zika share so many symptoms, laboratory testing is often the only reliable way to tell them apart, particularly in areas where more than one of these viruses is circulating.

Laboratory Tests

RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction)

Detects the virus’s genetic material directly in the blood, most useful in the first week of illness.

Sample Venous blood
Time 24–48 hours

IgM Antibody Test

Identifies an early immune response to the virus, typically detectable from about a week after symptoms begin.

Sample Venous blood
Time 24–72 hours

IgG Antibody Test

Can indicate a past infection and help confirm the diagnosis alongside other tests.

Sample Venous blood
Time 24–72 hours

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Does not confirm chikungunya on its own, but helps rule out other causes of fever.

Sample Venous blood
Time 30–60 minutes

Laboratory Note

No single symptom can reliably distinguish chikungunya from dengue or Zika. Laboratory confirmation is especially useful during outbreaks or for anyone who has recently travelled to or lives in an area where more than one of these viruses circulates.

Treatment

Pain and Fever Relief

Paracetamol is generally recommended over NSAIDs for fever and pain until dengue has been ruled out, since NSAIDs can increase the risk of bleeding.

Route Oral
Duration As needed until symptoms resolve

Supportive Care

Rest and plenty of fluids support recovery. Hospitalisation is occasionally needed for people with severe symptoms or underlying health conditions.

Route Oral or Intravenous (IV)
Duration As needed

Treatment Note

There is no specific antiviral medicine for chikungunya. Two vaccines have received regulatory approval in some countries, but they are not yet widely available.

Prevention

Eliminate mosquito breeding sites

Emptying, covering, or cleaning containers that collect standing water on a weekly basis reduces mosquito breeding around the home.

Use mosquito repellent

Repellents containing DEET, IR3535, or icaridin, applied to exposed skin according to label instructions, offer effective protection.

Wear protective clothing

Clothing that covers the arms and legs reduces skin exposure to mosquitoes, which bite mainly during daylight hours.

Use screens and treated nets

Window and door screens, along with insecticide-treated nets for anyone who sleeps during the day, help keep mosquitoes out.

Prevention Note

Because the mosquitoes that spread chikungunya bite mainly during the day, prevention matters throughout daylight hours, not only at night.

Risk Factors

Higher Risk of Severe Illness

These groups face a greater chance of severe illness if infected.

  • Newborns infected around the time of birth
  • Adults aged 65 and older
  • People with existing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease

Increased Chance of Infection

These groups have a higher chance of being exposed to infected mosquitoes.

  • People living in or travelling to areas with active mosquito-borne virus transmission
  • People who spend significant time outdoors during the day

Exposure Factors

Conditions that increase the risk of mosquito bites.

  • Standing water near the home that allows mosquitoes to breed
  • Limited access to window screens or mosquito nets

Risk Note

Anyone bitten by an infected mosquito can develop chikungunya. These risk factors mainly affect how severe the illness may become, not whether infection is possible in the first place.

Complications

Persistent Joint Pain

Joint pain and stiffness can persist for months, and sometimes years, after the initial infection clears, occasionally resembling arthritis.

Eye Complications

Inflammation affecting the eyes has occasionally been reported.

Neurological Complications

Rarely, chikungunya has been associated with complications affecting the nervous system.

Complication Note

Most people recover fully within one to two weeks. Persistent joint pain is the most common lasting effect and is more likely in older adults.

When to Seek Medical Care

Severe or Worsening Joint Pain

Pain that prevents normal movement, or does not improve, should be assessed by a healthcare provider.

Illness in a Newborn

Babies infected around the time of birth need prompt medical evaluation.

Confusion or Severe Weakness

Neurological symptoms, though rare, require urgent attention.

Underlying Health Conditions

Older adults or people with existing health conditions should seek care promptly if symptoms develop, since they face a higher risk of severe illness.

Emergency Advice

Severe illness and death from chikungunya are rare and usually occur in newborns or older adults with other health problems. Most people can manage symptoms at home with rest, fluids, and appropriate pain relief.

Prognosis

Good for Most People

Most people feel better within a week, though joint pain can sometimes last longer.

Joint Pain May Persist

Some people experience joint pain and stiffness for months or years after the initial illness.

Immunity After Recovery

Available evidence suggests that people who recover from chikungunya are likely to be immune to future infection with the same virus.

Prognosis Note

Severe outcomes are rare and concentrated among newborns and older adults with other health conditions. For most people, chikungunya is uncomfortable but not dangerous.

Differential Diagnosis

Dengue Fever

Dengue causes a similar pattern of sudden fever, headache, and muscle pain, and circulates in many of the same regions, making the two easy to confuse without testing.

Zika Virus

Zika shares mosquito vectors and overlapping symptoms with chikungunya, though joint pain is typically less severe.

Malaria

Malaria also causes fever in the same mosquito-endemic regions and should be considered and ruled out, particularly where it is the dominant presumptive diagnosis.

Clinical Note

Because chikungunya, dengue, Zika, and malaria can all cause fever in overlapping regions, laboratory testing is often the most reliable way to tell them apart.

References

World Health Organization (WHO)

World Health Organization fact sheet on chikungunya transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Clinical and public health guidance on chikungunya causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

Factsheet for health professionals on chikungunya virus disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chikungunya contagious from person to person?
No. Chikungunya spreads only through the bite of an infected mosquito, not through direct contact between people.
How long does chikungunya last?
Most people feel better within a week, though joint pain and stiffness can persist for months or, in some cases, longer.
Is there a cure for chikungunya?
There is no specific antiviral treatment, but most people recover fully with rest, fluids, and appropriate pain relief.
Can chikungunya be prevented with a vaccine?
Two vaccines have received regulatory approval in some countries, but they are not yet widely available. Avoiding mosquito bites remains the main way to prevent infection.