chikungunya

noun

chik·​un·​gun·​ya ˌchi-kən-ˈgu̇n-yə 

ˌchi-ku̇ŋ-

: a febrile disease that resembles dengue, occurs especially in parts of Africa, India, and southeastern Asia, and is caused by a togavirus (species Chikungunya virus of the genus Alphavirus) transmitted especially by aedes mosquitoes

Chikungunya is rarely fatal but can cause severe fevers, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and muscle and joint pains.

—Martin Enserink

Examples of chikungunya in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading Zika and chikungunya viruses. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Oct. 2024

This is why, entomologists argue, mosquitoes have brought new diseases to the European continent in the last decade, including dengue fever to France and Croatia, chikungunya in Italy and malaria in Greece. —Jules Howard, TIME, 4 Sep. 2024

Take dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and West Nile Virus, for example. —Alice Park, TIME, 4 Sep. 2024

This exacerbates the problem, as two species — Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) — are capable of transmitting viruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya. —Dan Sweeney, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Kimakonde (Bantu language of the Makonde), alleged to mean "that which bends up"

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

chikungunya

noun

chik·​un·​gun·​ya ˌchik-ən-ˈgu̇n-yə, ˌchik-u̇ŋ- 

: a febrile disease that resembles dengue, occurs especially in parts of Africa, India, and southeastern Asia, and is caused by a togavirus of the genus Alphavirus (species Chikungunya virus) transmitted by mosquitoes especially of the genus Aedes

called also chikungunya fever