Chikungunya virus: An emerging disease

Studies in recent years have shown that CHIKV is becoming a more fatal disease than previously reported.

The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first identified in Tanzania in 1952. The word “Chikungunya” is derived from the Tanzanian Makonde language, which means “stooped walk”, referring to the infection that causes severe joint and muscle pain. In India, the virus was identified in the early 1960s and remained active until 1973. After a 32-year interval, it re-emerged as a massive outbreak in 2006. CHIKV was first discovered in Nepal (by the author) in 2013, and it has since been regularly observed, particularly during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons.