9 Chikungunya infection is thought to generate antibodies that protect individuals for life. It is important to point out that the A226V mutation made it possible for the virus to adapt itself better to Aedes albopictus, the only competent vector on Reunion Island, a circumstance that also explains its unusual virulence in the last outbreak in 2005. 6 Comparative studies have shown that characteristics like myalgia, arthralgia and rash are particularly associated with CHIKV, whereas thrombocytopenia is more is more frequently found in dengue. In countries in which both Aedes vectors are present and where the diagnostic facilities may be limited, it would be difficult to distinguish between CHIKV and dengue, especially in children, since the symptoms and signs overlap. 5 It is important to point out that the Aedes mosquito is the vector of several arboviruses, including dengue (a flavivirus). 4 The disease is a zoonosis transmitted by mosquitos of the Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti species. The term “chikungunya” is derived from the expression in the Makonde language for “that which bends up” or “bent over with pain”. 2 Although the ecology of these agents differs, morphologically and antigenically, they are closely related moreover, the diseases they cause are practically indistinguishable. It is considered to be endemic in large areas of Africa, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. 1 It is classified as an arbovirus of the Togaviridae family, genus Alphavirus, a group that also includes other viruses such as Ross River, O’nyong-nyong, Barmah Forest and Mayaro, which have been associated with the development of arthritis in humans. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was identified for the first time in Tanzania in 1952, when it was isolated in humans and in Aedes mosquitos during an epidemic that had features compatible with dengue.
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