Part UT Health San Antonio
UT Health San AntonioUT Health San Antonio

UTSA Part of UT Health San Antonio

Contact Us | 210-450-9000

Menu
  • Find a Provider
  • Services
  • Cancer Types
  • Locations
  • Patient Care
  • Cancer Center
  • MyChart
  • X
  • Conditions
  • Conditions In-depth
  • Procedures
  • Wellness Centers
  • Natural & Alternative
  • Drug Info
  • Procedure Animations
  • Wellness Videos
Symptom CheckerQuick Nav
 
Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Chikungunya

(Chikungunya fever)

How to Say It: Chik-en-gun-yuh

by Amy Scholten, MPH
Definition
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Definition

Chikungunya is a virus spread by an infected mosquito. Most people recover. Some may have severe or lasting symptoms.

Causes

Chikungunya virus causes the infection. It is passed to people from the bite of an infected mosquito. It cannot be passed from one person to another.

Virus

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Risk Factors

The risk of getting the virus is highest in areas where outbreaks have happened, such as:

  • Africa
  • Southeast Asia
  • Southern Europe
  • Islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans
  • Caribbean islands

In 2014, chikungunya occurred in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Symptoms

Symptoms begin 3 to 7 days after infection and may include:

  • High fever
  • Severe joint pain
  • Rash
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Red, irritated eyes

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms, health, and travel history. A physical exam will be done.

Blood tests may be done. They will look for the virus and antibodies. Antibodies are substances the body creates when infected. Other blood tests may be done to look for problems.

Treatment

The goal is to treat the symptoms. Hospital care may be needed if symptoms are severe. Treatment options are:

  • Rest
  • Medicines to ease symptoms, such as:
    • Acetaminophen—to control fever
    • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)—to control pain
    • Short-term narcotics or corticosteroids—sometimes used for severe pain

Prevention

The risk of a chikungunya infection may be lowered by:

  • Avoiding travel to areas with outbreaks
  • Avoiding mosquito bites by:
    • Covering up the skin
    • Using bug sprays, netting, and screens
RESOURCES:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https//www.cdc.gov

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

International Center for Infectious Diseases
https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

REFERENCES:

Chikungunya. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/pdfs/CHIKV_FACTSHEET_CDC_Generalpublic(09-17-2014).pdf. Accessed March 30, 2021.

Chikungunya fever (CHIK). Florida Health website. Available at: http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/chikungunya/index.html. Accessed March 30, 2021.

Chikungunya fever. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/chikungunya-fever . Accessed March 30, 2021.

Chikungunya. World Health Organization website. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs327/en. Accessed March 30, 2021.

Vairo F, Haider N, et al. Chikungunya: epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, management, and prevention. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2019;33(4):1003-1025.

Last reviewed December 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board David L. Horn, MD, FACP  Last Updated: 3/30/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Copyright ©  EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy
Physicians and care providers of
UT Health San Antonio

8300 Floyd Curl Dr.

San Antonio, TX 78229

210-450-9000

Connect with us
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Language Assistance
We make lives better ©

We're a part of UT Health San Antonio, provider of comprehensive health,  dental, &  cancer care,  advanced academics  and  life-saving research.

Web Privacy | Links from websites affiliated with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's website (uthscsa.edu) to other websites do not constitute or imply university endorsement of those sites, their content, or products and services associated with those sites. The content on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Health information on this site is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat conditions. Consult a health care provider if you are in need of treatment.