Chikungunya: an emerging and spreading arthropod-borne viral disease.

Authors

  • Francesca Cavrini The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • Paolo Gaibani The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • Anna Maria Pierro The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • Giada Rossini The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • Maria Paola Landini The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • Vittorio Sambri The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.169

Keywords:

Chikungunya epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis

Abstract

The infection caused by the virus Chikungunya is known since the last 50 years, but since the disease was mainly diffuse in geographical areas located in developing countries, a few research work have been made available until the appearance of an important epidemiological outbreak in 2005 in the island of La Reunion, that is part of metropolitan France even if located in the Southern Eastern part of the Indian Ocean. In 2007, a smaller outbreak of Chikungunya developed in the Northern Eastern part of Italy, where the local transmission has been made possible by the enormous population of Aedes albopictus and the presence of a viremic patient coming from the Indian Ocean area. Nowadays, Chikungunya is spreading in Southeast Asia countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. This paper reviews different aspects of the disease caused by Chikungunya virus, including: history, epidemiology, biological and pathogenetic aspects, clinical pictures, diagnosis and treatment.

Author Biographies

Maria Paola Landini, The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna

Professor of Microbiology and Director

Vittorio Sambri, The Emilia Romagna Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM) – Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna

Associate Professor of Microbiology

Dept. Hematology and Oncology

Chief,Regional Laboratory for Microbiological Emergencies

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Published

2009-11-21

How to Cite

1.
Cavrini F, Gaibani P, Pierro AM, Rossini G, Landini MP, Sambri V (2009) Chikungunya: an emerging and spreading arthropod-borne viral disease. J Infect Dev Ctries 3:744–752. doi: 10.3855/jidc.169

Issue

Section

Reviews