Epidemiological trends and policy interventions in the context of chikungunya in India

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arthropod-borne Alphavirus belonging to the Togaviridae family that is transmitted through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes. It is responsible for causing acute febrile illness characterized by severe fever, rash, and debilitating joint pain. The virus was initially discovered in 1952 in Tanzania and has since been spread across various tropical and subtropical areas, causing numerous epidemics globally. The first outbreak in India was reported in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), West Bengal in 1963. This was followed by multiple outbreaks in Chennai, Puducherry, Vellore, Vishakapatnam, Rajahmudry, Kakinada, Nagpur and Barsi till 1973. Then after three decades, chikungunya re-emerged in India in 2005 and then cases were reported from several states in India till date. The public health authorities in India took initiatives to prevent and control the spread of CHIKV. Nevertheless, the virus continues to expand its geographical range at an alarming rate, has become a major arboviral public health threat and has the potential to cause outbreaks in the previously unaffected areas. This review summarizes the epidemiological trends, public health response, and implications of the CHIKV outbreak in India.