A mosquito-borne fever whose joint pain can last long after it. Explore its illustrative 3D model, human context, and sources.
WHO describes chikungunya as a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by an alphavirus and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that bite during daylight hours. Its name comes from a Kimakonde word of southern Tanzania meaning 'that which bends up', describing the posture of people with severe joint pain. Symptoms overlap with dengue and Zika, so cases can be misdiagnosed.
CDC states most people feel better within a week but joint pain can be severe and disabling and might persist for months, and that death from chikungunya is rare. WHO adds that severe symptoms and deaths usually occur in young babies or elderly people with other health problems, and that joint pain may last weeks, months or even years. This tag describes documented outcomes rather than a personal risk score.
Chikungunya virus · enveloped alphavirus particle. Spikes and capsid symmetry are shown broadly, without a measured protein arrangement. The colours, proportions, protein shapes and visible counts are illustrative, not measured or an atomic reconstruction. Independent scientific review remains pending.
Source check: 2026-09-19. Educational content; independent scientific review remains pending.