Welcome to the Chikungunya Outbreak toolbox

Key reference documents

Guidelines for prevention and control of chikungunya fever (New Delhi: WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia; 2009).
Preparedness and response for chikungunya virus introduction in the Americas (Washington (DC): Pan American Health Organization; 2011).
Chikungunya information page (Geneva: World Health Organization).
Chikungunya fact sheet (Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020).

Case definition

WHO suggested case definition¹

Criteria for case definition:

Clinical criteria: Acute onset of fever >38.5°C and severe arthralgia/arthritis not explained by other medical conditions.
Epidemiological criteria: Residing or having visited epidemic areas having reported transmission within 15 days prior to the onset of symptoms.

Laboratory criteria:
- Virus isolation.
- Presence of viral RNA by RT-PCR.
- Presence of virus-specific IgM antibodies in single serum sample collected in acute or
  convalescent stage.
- Four-fold increase in IgG values in samples collected at least three weeks apart.

Suspect case:

Any person with acute onset of fever >38.5°C and severe arthralgia/arthritis not explained by other medical conditions.

Probable case:

A patient meeting both the clinical and epidemiological criteria.

Confirmed case:

A suspected case with laboratory confirmation.

WHO surveillance case definition

Pilar RP, Cibrelius L, Yactayo S. Chikungunya: case definition for acute, atypical and chronic cases.
Conclusion of an expert consultation, Managua, Nicaragua, 20-21 may 2015. WER: 90; 33 409–20.
Technical guidelines for Integrated Disease Surveillance And Response In The WHO African Region (Third Edition, Brazzaville: WHO Regional Office for Africa; 2019 (p.16)).

_{1. Derived from Pilar RP, Cibrelius L, Yactayo S. Chikungunya: case definition for acute, atypical and chronic cases. Conclusion of an expert consultation, Managua, Nicaragua, 20-21 may 2015. WER: 90; 33 409–20.}