title: Global expansion of chikungunya virus: mapping the 64-year history.
abstract: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that is emerging as a global threat because of the highly debilitating nature of the associated disease and unprecedented magnitude of its spread. Chikungunya originated in Africa and has since spread across the entire globe causing large numbers of epidemics that have infected millions of people in Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Europe, the Americas, and Pacific Islands. Phylogenetic analysis has identified four different genotypes of CHIKV: Asian, West African, East/Central/South African (ECSA), and Indian Ocean Lineage (IOL). In the absence of well-designed epidemiological studies, the aim of this review article was to summarize the global epidemiology of CHIKV and to provide baseline data for future research on the treatment, prevention, and control of this life-threatening disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, 87 West Canal Bank Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Electronic address: brairawahid@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Braira
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wahid
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, 87 West Canal Bank Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Electronic address: amjad.camb@pu.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Amjad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, 87 West Canal Bank Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Electronic address: shaziarafique@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shazia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rafique
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, 87 West Canal Bank Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan; Vice Chancellor Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan. Electronic address: Idrees.camb@pu.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idrees
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D002646:Chikungunya virus; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans
keywords: Africa; America; Asia; CHIKV; Epidemiology; Pacific Islands