Virus Chikungunya in Colombia, a simple matter of time?

Abstract

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an RNA alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. The alphaviruses consist of 29 species, including eastern, western, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses among others. CHIKV is transmitted by vector mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albipictus, which are abundant in the South American tropics.CHIKV was first isolated in 1953 in the serum of a patient in Tanzania during an epidemic of dengue. In a recent dendrogram, this isolate appeared with the name of Ross low psg (1,2). The first clinical report of chikungunya was in Thailand between 1962 and 1964 (3). Between 1960 and 2003 CHIKV reemerged and spread in Southeast Asian countries such as India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, among others. A Central African genotype has occurred since 2000 and spread to Europe, Asia, and Australia (4). From the clinical perspective, CHIKV may produce acute, sub-acute, or chronic illness. The acute phase is characterized by an abrupt onset with fever surpassing 39°C and severe joint pain. Polyarthralgia, headache, myalgia, back pain, nausea, vomiting, rash, and conjunctivitis are common; the duration of the acute phase is 3 to 10 days (5). Symptoms of CHIKV infection are similar to dengue.