Isolation and genomic characterization of Chikungunya virus during the 2025 outbreak in Foshan, China
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) caused more than 10,000 infections in Foshan, Guangdong, in 2025. Using plasma from acute-phase patients, we successfully isolated infectious CHIKV, confirmed by focus-forming assay and transmission electron microscopy. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that all isolates belonged to the ECSA-2 sub-lineage and were closely related to strains circulating on Réunion Island in 2024-2025, carrying adaptive mutations including C:T143A, E1:A226 V, and E2:I211 T/L210Q. Based on Foshan's 2025 population (∼9.6 million), the outbreak corresponded to a cumulative incidence of ∼104 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, highlighting intense transmission. Integrated virological, genomic, and epidemiological analyses characterize the rapid expansion of a single ECSA-2 genotype and underscore the need for strengthened arbovirus and genomic surveillance in southern China.
Authors
- Xin Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9422-3499)
- Jincun Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2515-5589)
- Xiaofang Peng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1865-8500)
- Haisu Yi
- Changyun Sun
- Kangkang Fu
- Baisheng Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1842-316X)
- Yongxia Shi
- Airu Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6374-4467)
- Bin Yuan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0450-3532)
- Chao Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1738-5632)
- Qihong Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1645-8764)
- Lu Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2794-7371)
- Yanqun Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7056-2039)
- Lijuan Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2037-4176)
- Jianwen Zeng
- Senlin Wan
Institutions
- Academy of Medical Sciences (GB)
- Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
- ShanghaiTech University (CN)
- Guangzhou Experimental Station (CN)
- First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (CN)
- The First People's Hospital of Shunde (CN)
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (CN)
- Zhujiang Hospital (CN)
- Foshan Second People's Hospital (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (CN)
- Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center (China) (CN)
- Southern Medical University (CN)
- Guangzhou Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Emerging Microbes & Infections
- Published
- 2025-11-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2025.2595790
- Primary Topic
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00