title: Chikungunya fever. Rheumatic manifestations of an emerging disease in Europe.
abstract: Chikungunya fever is a viral disease caused by an alphavirus belonging to the Togaviridae family, transmitted by several species of Aedes mosquitoes: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (A. albopictus). It is endemic in Africa and Asia with recurrent outbreaks. It is an emerging disease and cases in Europe transmitted by A. albopictus have been established in Mediterranean areas. The first autochthonous cases detected on the Caribbean islands suppose a serious threat of spreading disease to America, which so far has been disease free. Clinical symptoms begin abruptly with fever, skin rash and polyarthritis. Although mortality is low, a high percentage of patients develop a chronic phase defined by persistent arthritis for months or even years. A severe immune response is responsible for joint inflammation. The absence of specific treatment and lack of vaccine requires detailed studies about its immunopathogenesis in order to determine the most appropriate target.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, España. Electronic address: mlhorcada@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: M Loreto
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Horcada
authors.affiliation: Centro Salud Tarazona, Zaragoza, España.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díaz-Calderón
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, España.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garrido
mesh_terms: D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*
keywords: Alerta internacional; Chikungunya fever; Chronic polyarthritis; Emergent outbreak; Epidemia emergente; Fiebre chikungunya; International alert; Poliartritis crónica