Chikungunya symptoms
Other mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and dengue have very similar symptoms to chikungunya, meaning it’s easy to misdiagnose.1–5 See below of a full list of symptoms.
Chikungunya disease
Click on a hotspot to reveal a symptom or complication from chikungunya.
Common Symptom
Headache1
A headache that is often severe.
Complication
Nervous system1,8
People can occasionally develop complications that affect the nervous system (the brain and nerves in the body).
Complication
Eyes1,9
Occasionally, people find that their eyes are
adversely affected by chikungunya.
Common Symptom
Fever1,6
A temperature of 100.4°F or higher, often coming on suddenly
Complication
Heart1,7
Occasionally, people can develop complications that affect the heart.
Common Symptom
Severe pain in multiple joints1,7
Particularly in the smaller joints such as the hand, wrist, and ankles, and larger joints like the knees
Common Symptom
Nausea1
Feeling like you’re going to be sick.
Common Symptom
Fatigue1
Feeling extremely tired.
Common Symptom
Muscle pain1
Stiffness and pain in the muscles
Common Symptom
Rash1,13
Look out for red patches with raised bumps over the torso, arms, and legs.
Over 75% of people infected with chikungunya have symptoms, which tend to start 2 to 6 days after being bitten.10–14
Deaths from chikungunya are rare and mostly happen in older adults (especially those with other health problems) and young infants.1,15,16
After the trip is over
Usually, chikungunya symptoms last for 7 to 10 days.10,13 But for more than 2 in 5 people debilitating symptoms like joint pain can stick around long after the trip is over, lasting for months or potentially even years, often severely impacting daily life.12,17
Anybody can develop these chronic symptoms, but certain people are at risk for severe disease such as people over 65 years of age and people with other health conditions (eg, diabetes, heart conditions, and high blood pressure).18
What are the
long-term effects?
Long-term effects can include continued severe joint and muscular pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep and neurological (brain and nerve) problems.12
In rarer cases, the virus can cause complications that affect the eyes, heart, and nervous system (the brain and nerves).1,6,8,9
Lorren’s story
Lorren is a retiree travel enthusiast who was infected with chikungunya while in Mexico with his wife. The effects of chikungunya stayed with him for 2 years. Watch his story here.
Chikungunya treatment
There are currently no medicines to treat chikungunya, which is why it’s important to minimize the risk of catching this debilitating disease.1
If you have visited an area where chikungunya is found and have symptoms, speak to your doctor. To make a chikungunya diagnosis they may test your blood to check for chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases.1 Or, they may just recommend ways to treat the symptoms.1,19
Remember, if you become unwell with suspected chikungunya while traveling, depending on where you are, the level of local medical care available may not be what you’re used to, and you may have to pay out-of-pocket for care and medicines.20
Medicines19
To help manage fever
Pain relief19
To help with joint and muscle pain
Rest19
Save your strength for recovery
Fluids19
Drink plenty of fluids
1. Chikungunya. World Health Organization. Updated April 14, 2025. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya
2. Salam N, et al. Global prevalence and distribution of coinfection of malaria, dengue and chikungunya: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):710.
3. Rico-Mendoza A, et al. Co-circulation of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in Colombia from 2008 to 2018. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2019;43:e49.
4. Shukla A, et al. Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonatal chikungunya: Follow-up of a series of cases till 1 year. J Trop Pediatr. 2021;67(3):fmaa053.
5. Faria BS, et al. Vertical transmission of chikungunya virus: a worldwide concern. Braz J Infect Dis. 2024;28(3):103747.
6. Cotellal JI, et al. Chikungunya and the heart. Cardiology. 2021;146(3):324–334.
7. Staples JE, et al. Chikungunya. In: CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel. 2026 edition. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-associated-infections-diseases/chikungunya.html
8. Mehta R, et al. The neurological complications of chikungunya virus: a systematic review. Rev Med Virol. 2018;28(3):e1978.
9. Mahendradas P, et al. Chikungunya and the eye: a review. J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect. 2013;3(1):35.
10. Symptoms, diagnosis, & treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 6, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/index.html
11. McGuinness SL, Wu HM. Pretravel considerations for non-vaccine-preventable travel infections. In: Travel Medicine (Fourth Edition). 2019;53–60.
12. Rama K, et al. Clinical outcomes of chikungunya: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024;18(6):e0012254.
13. Factsheet for health professionals about chikungunya virus disease. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chikungunya/facts/factsheet
14. Brouard C, et al. Estimated risk of chikungunya viremic blood donation during an epidemic on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, 2005 to 2007. Transfusion. 2008;48(7):1333–1341.
15. Barr KL, Vaidhyanathan V. Chikungunya in infants and children: is pathogenesis increasing? Viruses. 2019;11(3):294.
16. da Silva Junior GB, et al. Risk factors for death among patients with chikungunya virus infection during the outbreak in northeast Brazil, 2016–2017. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2019;113(4):221–226.
17. Puntasecca CJ, et al. Measuring the global burden of chikungunya and Zika viruses: a systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021;15(3):e0009055.
18. Factors to assess when considering use of chikungunya vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published August 27, 2024. Accessed October 17, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/media/pdfs/2024/05/Chikungunya-vaccine-risk-factors-508.pdf
19. Mourad O, et al. Chikungunya: an emerging public health concern. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2022;24(12):217–228.
20. Tozan Y, et al. Impact, healthcare utilization and costs of travel-associated mosquito-borne diseases in international travellers: a prospective study. J Travel Med. 2023;30(7):taad060.