Chikungunya: symptoms, treatment and how it is spread

UKHSA describes chikungunya as a mosquito-borne infection, an alphavirus first isolated during an epidemic in Tanzania in 1952. The name comes from a word in the Makonde language meaning that which bends up, because of the crippling joint pain the virus can cause.

It occurs in some tropical and subtropical regions, and TravelHealthPro says outbreaks have become more frequent and widespread in recent decades, with outbreaks in the Indian Ocean islands, India, the Pacific islands, the Caribbean and Central and South America, and small outbreaks in France and Italy.

UKHSA says chikungunya is characterised by a sudden onset of fever usually accompanied by joint pain (arthralgia). Symptoms can range from mild or non-existent to severe, and can be misdiagnosed as other viral illnesses such as dengue fever where both occur.

TravelHealthPro adds that joint pain commonly the most disabling symptom and tends to affect several joints, particularly the extremities such as ankles, wrists and hands, and that some people are infected without developing symptoms, which appears to be relatively rare.

• Sudden high fever.

• Severe joint pain, often in several joints.

• Muscle pain and headache.

• Nausea and fatigue.

• Rash.

• Sensitivity to light.

The acute illness usually settles within one to two weeks. UKHSA says most patients make a full recovery, and that the joint pain usually ends within a few days or weeks.

In some cases joint pain and arthritis may persist for several months or even years. TravelHealthPro says up to 12 percent of individuals have persistent joint pains after three years. Serious complications involving the eyes, nervous system or heart are not common; fatalities are rare, approximately one in every 1000 cases, with the highest risk in young babies, older people and adults with underlying health problems.

Not in the usual sense. UKHSA says chikungunya is not spread directly from person to person. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito: when a mosquito feeds on the blood of an infected person the virus multiplies in the mosquito, and after about 8 to 10 days it can pass the virus to another human.

If you catch it abroad and become ill on returning to the UK, you cannot pass it on to anyone else. UKHSA says the Aedes mosquito is not present in the UK because the temperature is not consistently high enough for it to breed.

UKHSA says there is no specific antiviral treatment; supportive nursing care and relief of symptoms are the standard treatment. TravelHealthPro says patients are treated with rest, hydration and medicines for pain and fever, and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help ease symptoms.

Do not start medicines without advice, as the right choice depends on your health. If you become unwell after travel in a risk area, tell the doctor where and when you travelled. In the UK samples go to the UKHSA Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory for diagnosis.

UKHSA says the main way to prevent chikungunya is to avoid mosquito bites. Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, particularly around dawn and dusk, unlike the mosquitoes that transmit malaria, which bite at night.

UKHSA recommends a good repellent containing DEET on exposed skin, together with light cover-up clothing, and says repellent must be applied after sunscreen. TravelHealthPro adds that water-filled containers that may be breeding sites should be removed if possible. Check the TravelHealthPro country pages for the risk at your destination before you travel.

UKHSA says two vaccines, IXCHIQ and Vimkunya, are approved for use in the UK for certain travellers. TravelHealthPro lists IXCHIQ for ages 18 to 59 and Vimkunya for ages 12 and over, and says vaccination may be considered for people travelling to regions with active outbreaks, long-term or frequent travellers to regions with transmission in the past 5 years, and laboratory staff working with the virus.

TravelHealthPro also reports that in February 2026 the MHRA announced updated restrictions on IXCHIQ following a safety review: it should not be used in travellers of any age with conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, or who are immunosuppressed. Speak to a travel health professional, who will check your health and destination before advising.

Several mosquito-borne infections cause fever after travel, and they can be hard to tell apart without tests. UKHSA notes chikungunya is often misdiagnosed as dengue where both occur. This table gives general comparisons only, from the sources above.

See a GP or call NHS 111 if you develop fever or joint pain after travel to a risk area, and tell them where and when you have been. Call 999 if someone is severely unwell or struggling to breathe.

Babies, older adults and people with underlying health problems are at higher risk of severe illness, according to TravelHealthPro.

GPs and NHS services diagnose and manage the illness, and send samples to UKHSA where needed. Travel vaccines are usually arranged through a GP practice or a private travel clinic, and the chikungunya vaccines are not necessarily free on the NHS, so ask what applies to you. A travel health professional should review your itinerary and health before advising.