Chikungunya: The Mosquito Virus Spreading in Europe and the Tropics

Key takeaways

• Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by day-biting Aedes mosquitoes – the same species that carry dengue and Zika.
• It typically starts 4–8 days after a bite with sudden fever and severe joint pain; most people recover, but joint pain can last weeks, months or longer.
• Outbreaks are common in the tropics, and Europe now sees locally acquired cases in summer where the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has settled.
• There is no specific antiviral treatment. Vaccines exist in some countries, but avoiding bites remains the core of prevention.
• Use an EPA- or ECDC-recognised repellent during the day, cover up and remove standing water around your accommodation.

Chikungunya used to be a disease most Europeans only heard about from travellers returning from the Indian Ocean or the Caribbean. That is changing. The virus is now reported in more than 110 countries, and with the Asian tiger mosquito spreading across southern and central Europe, summer outbreaks have reached France and Italy. Here is what chikungunya is, what the symptoms look like, where the risk is highest and how to protect yourself – at home and on holiday.

What is chikungunya?

Chikungunya is caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus. The name comes from the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania and means roughly “that which bends up” – a reference to the stooped posture of people with severe joint pain. The virus was first identified in Tanzania in 1952 and has since caused large outbreaks across Africa, Asia and the Americas.

It is passed to people through the bite of an infected female mosquito, most commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. A mosquito picks up the virus by biting an infected person, and after several days it can pass it on to the next person it bites. Chikungunya does not spread directly from person to person in everyday contact.

Chikungunya symptoms: what to look out for

According to the WHO, symptoms usually begin 4–8 days after the infective bite (range 2–12 days). The illness typically starts abruptly.

• Sudden high fever
• Severe joint pain, often in the hands, wrists, ankles and feet, frequently on both sides of the body
• Joint swelling and muscle pain
• Headache, nausea and fatigue
• A skin rash

The joint pain is what sets chikungunya apart. It is often debilitating and usually lasts a few days, but in some people it continues for weeks, months or even years. Severe complications and deaths are rare; the people most at risk are newborns infected around birth and older adults with other health conditions. After recovery, people are likely to be immune to future infection.

Chikungunya, dengue or Zika?

The three viruses are carried by the same mosquitoes and overlap in symptoms, so they are easily confused. A doctor will usually test for all of them after travel.

Where is chikungunya spreading?

In the tropics

Chikungunya circulates in parts of Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean islands, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Outbreaks can be explosive: when the virus reaches a population that has not been exposed before, a large share of people can be infected within months. Before you travel, check the current outbreak situation for your destination with a travel health service such as TravelHealthPro or your national public health agency.

In Europe

The WHO notes that every region with established Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus populations has now experienced local mosquito-borne transmission. In Europe, that means the tiger mosquito. Locally acquired outbreaks have occurred in Italy and France since 2007, usually sparked when a traveller returns with the virus in summer and is bitten by local mosquitoes. In 2025, both countries reported their largest numbers of locally acquired cases to date. The tiger mosquito is also established in parts of Germany, Switzerland and Austria – we covered where it has settled in our guide to the Asian tiger mosquito in Germany.

The European season for local transmission runs mainly from June to October, when temperatures are high enough for the virus to multiply inside the mosquito.

Is there a treatment or vaccine?

There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya. Care focuses on rest, fluids and paracetamol for fever and pain. Doctors often advise avoiding aspirin and other anti-inflammatory painkillers until dengue has been ruled out, because of the bleeding risk in dengue – so speak to a doctor rather than self-medicating after a trip.

Two chikungunya vaccines have been approved in several countries, including in the EU, but the WHO notes they are not yet widely available or in widespread use, and recommendations – particularly for older adults – have been revised as safety data have come in. If you are travelling to an area with an active outbreak, a travel clinic can tell you whether vaccination makes sense for you. As with dengue (see our article on dengue vaccination for travellers), a vaccine does not replace bite prevention.

How to prevent chikungunya: avoiding Aedes bites

Aedes mosquitoes behave differently from the night-biting mosquitoes many people know. They bite mainly during the day, with peaks in the early morning and late afternoon, and Aedes aegypti readily bites indoors. That changes how you protect yourself.

1. Apply repellent during the day, not just in the evening. Use a product with an active ingredient recognised by the EPA or ECDC – such as DEET, picaridin (icaridin), IR3535 or PMD – and reapply as the label directs.
2. Cover up with loose, long sleeves and trousers, especially outdoors in the morning and late afternoon. Tiger mosquitoes often bite ankles and lower legs.
3. Apply sunscreen first, repellent second if you use both.
4. Keep mosquitoes out of your room with window screens, closed doors and air conditioning where available.
5. Remove standing water around your home or rental – plant saucers, buckets, toys, blocked gutters. Aedes breed in very small containers.
6. Keep protecting yourself if you are ill after travel. Avoiding bites during the first week of illness helps stop local mosquitoes from picking up the virus and spreading it further.

How incognito® helps

Because Aedes mosquitoes bite through the day, your repellent needs to be something you are happy to wear from breakfast onwards. The incognito® Insect Repellent Spray is DEET-free and uses PMD (Citrepel®), a plant-based active derived from Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus). It is clinically proven, recommended against mosquitoes and ticks, vegan and biodegradable. Heading somewhere with an active outbreak? The Elite Traveller Bundle puts the essentials for a longer trip in one kit. Always follow the label for application and reapplication.

FAQs

What are the first symptoms of chikungunya?
Chikungunya usually starts suddenly, 4–8 days after an infected mosquito bite, with high fever and severe joint pain. Headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, fatigue, nausea and a rash are also common.

How long does chikungunya joint pain last?
For most people the joint pain lasts a few days to a couple of weeks. In some people it continues for weeks, months or even years, which is why chikungunya can have a long-term impact.

Can you catch chikungunya in Europe?
Yes, though the risk is still low. Locally acquired outbreaks have occurred in Italy and France, mainly between June and October, where the Asian tiger mosquito has become established.

Is chikungunya contagious from person to person?
No. Chikungunya is spread by mosquito bites, not by everyday contact. An infected person can, however, pass the virus to mosquitoes that bite them, which is why ill travellers should keep avoiding bites.

Is there a vaccine for chikungunya?
Two vaccines have been approved in several countries, including the EU, but they are not yet widely used and advice for older adults has changed. Ask a travel clinic whether vaccination is right for your trip.

When do the mosquitoes that spread chikungunya bite?
Aedes mosquitoes bite mainly during daylight hours, with peaks in the early morning and late afternoon. That is why daytime repellent and covering up matter as much as evening protection.

Sources

• WHO – Chikungunya fact sheet
• ECDC – Chikungunya virus disease
• ECDC – Protective measures against mosquitoes
• TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) – Chikungunya factsheet
• EPA – Skin-applied repellent ingredients

This article is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. If you develop a fever or joint pain during or after travel, see a doctor and mention where you have been.