Chikungunya Virus:Current Perspectiveson a Reemerging Virus

摘要

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-bornealphavirus in the family Togaviridae that causes outbreaks ofdebilitating acute and chronic arthralgia in humans. Althoughhistorically associated with localized outbreaks in Africa andAsia, recent epidemics in the Indian Ocean region and theAmericas have led to the recognition that CHIKV is capable ofmoving into previously unaffected areas and causing significantlevels of human suffering. The severity of CHIKV rheumaticdisease, which can severely impact life quality of infectedindividuals for weeks, months, or even years, combined with theexplosive nature of CHIKV outbreaks and its demonstrated abilityto quickly spread into new regions, has led to renewed interestin developing strategies for the prevention or treatment ofCHIKV-induced disease. Therefore, this chapter briefly discussesthe biology of CHIKV and the factors contributing to CHIKVdissemination, while also discussing the pathogenesis ofCHIKV-induced disease and summarizing the status of effortsto develop safe and effective therapies and vaccines againstCHIKV and related viruses.