title: [The tropical disease Chikungunya fever has come to Europe].
abstract: Chikungunya fever is an acute febrile illness associated with severe, often debilitating polyarthralgias. The disease is caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arthropod-borne virus that is transmitted to humans primarily via the bite of an infected mosquito. Since a re-emergence of CHIKV in 2004 in the Indian Ocean islands, the virus has spread into novel locations such as Europe. In Italy, an outbreak occurred in 2007. A mutation in CHIKV (E1-A226V) appears to improve virus survival in Ae. albopictus and also increase its virulence. Further attention should be given the disease since it is emerging in Europe.
authors.affiliation: Hjertemedicinsk Afdeling, Sydvestjysk Sygehus Esbjerg, Denmark. ayse83@live.dk
authors.forename: Ayse Dudu Altintas
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bunes
authors.forename: Sigurdur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skarphédinsson
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000821:virology; D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D000818:Animals; D065632:Chikungunya Fever; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans