Chikungunya Virus in the Americas — What a Vectorborne Pathogen Can Do

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 371; no. 10; pp. 887 - 889
• Main Authors: Staples, J. Erin, Fischer, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Massachusetts Medical Society 04.09.2014
• Subjects: Aedes; Alphavirus Infections - diagnosis; Alphavirus Infections - epidemiology; Alphavirus Infections - immunology; Alphavirus Infections - transmission; Americas - epidemiology; Animals; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Dengue fever; Disease Outbreaks; Herd immunity; Humans; Illnesses; Insect Vectors; Laboratories; Mosquitoes; Tropical diseases; Viral infections; Americas; Florida; United States > US; Puerto Rico

As of early August, more than half a million cases of chikungunya virus infection had been reported in the Americas. The rapid spread is probably attributable to a lack of population immunity and the broad distribution in the Americas of vectors capable of transmitting the virus. In December 2013, t...