Passport Health logo
VACCINATIONS|FIND A TRAVEL CLINIC|ADVICE
  • Home
    • About
        • Company History
        • Careers
        • Executive Team
        • Contact Us
        • Customer Feedback
        • FAQ
        • Mission Statement
        • Privacy Policy
        • Blog
    • Close
  • Destination Advice
    • Top Destinations
        • Brazil
        • China
        • Costa Rica
        • India
        • Kenya
        • Peru
        • Philippines
        • South Africa
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
    • Destination Advice
        • Tips and recommendations for healthy travel to any destination:

          • Afghanistan
          • Albania
          • Algeria
          • American Samoa
          • Andorra
          • Angola
          • Anguilla
          • Antarctica
          • Antigua and Barbuda
          • Argentina
          • Armenia
          • Aruba
          • Australia
          • Austria
          • Azerbaijan
          • Azores
          • Bahamas
          • Bahrain
          • Balearics
          • Bangladesh
          • Barbados
          • Belarus
          • Belgium
          • Belize
          • Benin
          • Bermuda
          • Bhutan
          • Bolivia
          • Bonaire
          • Bora Bora
          • Bosnia
          • Botswana
          • Brazil
          • British Virgin Islands
          • Brunei
          • Bulgaria
          • Burkina Faso
          • Burma
          • Burundi
          • Cambodia
          • Cameroon
          • Canada
          • Canary Islands
          • Cape Verde
          • Cayman Islands
          • Central African Republic
          • Chad
          • Chile
          • China
          • Christmas Island
          • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
          • Colombia
          • Comoros
          • Cook Islands
          • Costa Rica
          • Cote d'Ivoire
          • Croatia
          • Cuba
          • Curacao
          • Cyprus
          • Czechia
          • Democratic Republic of the Congo
          • Denmark
          • Djibouti
          • Dominica
          • Dominican Republic
          • East Timor
          • Easter Island
          • Ecuador
          • Egypt
          • El Salvador
          • Equatorial Guinea
          • Eritrea
          • Estonia
          • Ethiopia
          • Falkland Islands
          • Faroe Islands
          • Fiji
          • Finland
          • France
          • French Guiana
          • French Polynesia
          • Gabon
          • Gambia
          • Georgia
          • Germany
          • Ghana
          • Gibraltar
          • Greece
          • Greenland
          • Grenada
          • Guadeloupe
          • Guam
          • Guatemala
          • Guinea-Bissau
          • Guinea
          • Guyana
          • Haiti
          • Hawaii
          • Honduras
          • Hong Kong
          • Hungary
          • Ibiza
          • Iceland
          • India
          • Indonesia
          • Iran
          • Iraq
          • Ireland
          • Israel
          • Italy
          • Jamaica
          • Japan
          • Jordan
          • Kazakhstan
          • Kenya
          • Kiribati
          • Kosovo
          • Kuwait
          • Kyrgyzstan
          • Laos
          • Latvia
          • Lebanon
          • Lesotho
          • Liberia
          • Libya
          • Liechtenstein
          • Lithuania
          • Luxembourg
          • Macau
          • Macedonia
          • Madagascar
          • Madeira Islands
          • Malawi
          • Malaysia
          • Maldives
          • Mali
          • Malta
          • Marshall Islands
          • Martinique
          • Mauritania
          • Mauritius
          • Mayotte
          • Mexico
          • Micronesia
          • Moldova
          • Monaco
          • Mongolia
          • Montenegro
          • Montserrat
          • Morocco
          • Mozambique
          • Namibia
          • Nauru
          • Nepal
          • Netherlands
          • New Caledonia
          • New Zealand
          • Nicaragua
          • Niger
          • Nigeria
          • Niue
          • Norfolk Island
          • North Korea
          • Northern Mariana Islands
          • Norway
          • Oman
          • Pakistan
          • Palau
          • Palestinian Territories
          • Panama
          • Papua New Guinea
          • Paraguay
          • Peru
          • Philippines
          • Pitcairn Islands
          • Poland
          • Portugal
          • Puerto Rico
          • Qatar
          • Republic of the Congo
          • Réunion
          • Romania
          • Russia
          • Rwanda
          • Saba
          • St. Barthelemy
          • Saint Helena
          • St. Kitts and Nevis
          • St. Lucia
          • Saint Martin
          • St. Pierre-et-Miquelon
          • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
          • Samoa
          • San Marino
          • Sao Tome and Principe
          • Saudi Arabia
          • Senegal
          • Serbia
          • Seychelles
          • Sierra Leone
          • Singapore
          • Sint Eustatius
          • Slovakia
          • Slovenia
          • Solomon Islands
          • Somalia
          • South Africa
          • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
          • South Korea
          • South Sudan
          • Spain
          • Sri Lanka
          • Sudan
          • Suriname
          • Swaziland
          • Sweden
          • Switzerland
          • Syria
          • Tahiti
          • Taiwan
          • Tajikistan
          • Tanzania
          • Thailand
          • Togo
          • Tokelau
          • Tonga
          • Trinidad and Tobago
          • Tunisia
          • Turkey
          • Turkmenistan
          • Turks and Caicos Islands
          • Tuvalu
          • U.S. Virgin Islands
          • Uganda
          • Ukraine
          • United Arab Emirates
          • United Kingdom
          • United States
          • Uruguay
          • Uzbekistan
          • Vanuatu
          • Vatican
          • Venezuela
          • Vietnam
          • Wake Island
          • Western Sahara
          • Yemen
          • Zambia
          • Zimbabwe
    • Close
  • Travel Medicine
    • Travel Medical Services
        • Vaccines for Travel
        • COVID-19 Testing
        • Travel Health Consulting
        • Travellers’ Diarrhea Kits
        • Dengue Fever Prevention
        • Malaria Medication
        • Chikungunya Prevention
        • Zika Virus Prevention
        • Ebola Virus
        • Coronavirus
        • Travel Health Alerts
    • Additional Travel Services
      • Physician Referral Program
    • Close
  • Vaccinations
    • Overview
        • Chickenpox
        • Cholera (Dukoral)
        • Hepatitis A
        • Hepatitis B
        • Hep A/Typhoid Combo (Vivaxim)
        • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
        • Japanese Encephalitis
        • Malaria Information
        • Measles – Mumps – Rubella (MMR)
        • Meningitis
        • Pneumonia
        • Polio
        • Rabies
        • Shingles
        • Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis
        • Typhoid
        • Yellow Fever
        • Drug Identification Numbers (DIN)
    • Influenza (The Flu)
        • Learn more about your flu vaccine options
          • For most individuals
          • For seniors over 65 years
    • Routine Tests
      • TB Tests
      • Routine Vaccinations
        • Overview
    • Close
  • Employer Solutions
    • Overview
      • Travel Medicine & Vaccinations
      • Onsite Flu Clinics
      • Retirement Community Flu Program
      • Onsite Vaccination Clinics
      • Biometric Screenings
      • Vaccine Credentialing
    • Close
  • Locations
        • Ontario
          Barrie Travel Clinic
          Brampton Travel Clinic
          Carlington - Ottawa Travel Clinic
          Downtown - Ottawa Travel Clinic
          Etobicoke Travel Clinic
          Hamilton Travel Clinic
          Kingston Travel Clinic
          Kitchener Travel Clinic
          London Travel Clinic
          Markham Travel Clinic
          Mississauga Travel Clinic
          North York Travel Clinic
          Oakville Travel Clinic
          Richmond Hill Travel Clinic
          St. Catharines Travel Clinic
          Toronto Travel Clinic
          Whitby Travel Clinic
          Yorkville Travel Clinic
        • Alberta
          Chinook - Calgary Travel Clinic
          Downtown Calgary Travel Clinic
          Downtown Edmonton Travel Clinic
          Southeast Edmonton Travel Clinic
          St. Albert Travel Clinic
        • British Columbia
          Burnaby Travel Clinic
          Downtown Vancouver Travel Clinic
          North Vancouver Travel Clinic
          Richmond Travel Clinic
          Surrey Travel Clinic
        • Quebec
          Clinique Santé-Voyage Centre-Ville Montréal
          Clinique Santé-Voyage Laval
          Clinique Santé-Voyage Ville de Québec
          Clinique Santé-Voyage Westmount
    • Close
While Chikungunya is rarely deadly, the virus is still a threat to many types of travellers.

We’ll help keep you safe at home or abroad. Book your visit online today!

Chikungunya: Prevention and Symptoms

Passport Health offers a variety of online booking options.
Ready to Travel?
Schedule
Now!

Passport Health offers services in various parts of the country for all kinds of travelers.
Nationwide
Travel Health
Services

See what vaccinations or medications may be recommended for your specific destination.
Destination
Specific
Advice

Vaccination is just the start, repellents and netting also play a key role in mosquito prevention.
Mosquito
Prevention
Options

For years, chikungunya virus was only found on a few continents. The mosquito-borne disease only posed a risk in Africa, Asia and parts of Europe. In recent years, the virus spread west and reached the Americas. As chikungunya makes its way throughout the globe, travellers may run into the virus no matter where they visit.

Chikungunya is a viral disease that spreads through mosquito bites. The virus has origins that stretch back to the 1950’s in Tanzania. This is where chikungunya earned its name. It loosely translates to “walking bent over” in Makonde. The virus causes joint and muscle aches that often causes a person to bend over with back pain. While most chikungunya symptoms are short-lived, joint pain can become a long-term issue.

Once infected with chikungunya, it can take three to seven days before symptoms begin. Along with the joint and muscle pain, a fever will present as the first signs of infection. Even in severe cases, chikungunya rarely causes death. Other than joint pain, symptoms usually only last for a few days.

Chikungunya is one of many viruses that spreads via the Aedes aegypti mosquito. A female mosquito bites an infected human and contracts the virus. The mosquito then spreads it to other humans via biting.

These mosquitoes usually bite during the day. But, can also be found at night in well-lit areas. The Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are also known to carry chikungunya.

The virus rarely transmits from a pregnant mother to their newborn child. There are no instances of the virus spreading through breastfeeding. Although the virus can be spread via blood transfusion, there are no cases of this happening.

Although chikungunya is rarely fatal, the virus can be debilitating. Most people infected with the virus will show symptoms. The symptoms are similar to dengue, with chikungunya often mistaken for the virus. The symptoms often take at least a few days to begin, although they can start within 24 hours.

Chikungunya’s symptoms include: fever, joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, rash and nausea.

Some cases brought on nosebleeds and bleeding gums.

While joint and muscle pain may continue, there are few other long-term effects. These symptoms can sometimes last for months or years after infection.

The virus does pose an increased risks to the elderly. The symptoms can cause complications with chronic illnesses like diabetes or heart disease.

There is currently no vaccine for chikungunya fever.

Vaccines are in development in India and the United States.

Developed at the University of Texas in Galveston, the vaccine shows signs of prevention within four days of vaccination. The effects lasted for more than 290 days in animal testing. The vaccine has yet to be tested on humans.

Customer Reviews

Passport Health – Chikungunya Prevention

Overall rating: 5 stars – 3 reviews
★★★★★
“Excellent Experience“
“We were well informed as to the issues and procedures to follow with the various vaccines. The additional information on chikungunya was very helpful. The shots themselves were perfectly painless! And I had 4 of them!”

Submitted by: Paul
★★★★★
“Knowledgeable Medical professional“
“Best travel Clinic I’ve been to. Great service. Listened to my needs and provided the vaccines I needed. They even explained infections like dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Will recommend to anyone.”

Submitted by: Laura
★★★★★
“Excellent Knowledge“
“A combination of excellent service and knowledge. I had no idea my destination had chikungunya. Very impressed with our visit and I have already recommended to several friends.”

Submitted by: Britta

With no vaccine available, the best way to stay chikungunya-free is to avoid mosquitoes. These methods can help you stay free of mosquito bites:

  • Keep skin covered with long sleeve shirts or pants.
  • Use insect repellent with active DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR535. These ingredients create longer protection in the repellent.
  • Use mosquito netting if in an area that’s open to the outdoors.
  • Stay or sleep indoors whenever possible.
  • Wear clothes are gear that’s treated with permethrin or other repellents.

If you’re traveling to an area endemic with chikungunya, consider speaking with a Passport Health specialist. A specialist can help you stay free from mosquitoes and avoid other dangerous diseases. Call or book an appointment online now.

Map of regions with chikungunya
Source: PHAC

Chikungunya was contained to parts of Africa and Asia for decades. In recent years, the virus has spread along the Indian Ocean, the Americas and regions in Europe. While the virus can spread to any area that has Aedes aegypti or albopictus mosquitoes, some of these countries don’t have the virus at the moment.

Chikungunya is now endemic in over 100 countries throughout the world. Some regions are more likely to have the virus than others. These include:

  • Africa – Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania
  • Asia – Cambodia, China, India, Thailand
  • Caribbean – Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica
  • Central America – Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama
  • North America – Mexico, Southern United States
  • Pacific Islands – French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea
  • South America – Argentina, Brazil, Peru

Other countries do have risk of chikungunya. Be sure to check our destination advice section for information for your trip.

Looking for more information on chikungunya? Call us at or schedule an appointment today!

On This Page:
What is Chikungunya?
How Does Chikungunya Spread?
What Are the Symptoms of Chikungunya Virus?
Is There a Vaccine for Chikungunya?
How to Prevent Chikungunya Virus?
Where Is Chikungunya Found?

US - EnglishUS – EnglishCA – EnglishCA - FrançaisCA – FrançaisUK - EnglishUK – EnglishRest of World - EnglishRest of World – English
  • About Us
  • Clinical Trials
  • Contact Us
  • PIPEDA Policy and Consent Form
  • Privacy Policy
  • Automatic Data Collection Statement
  • Sitemap
Schedule Your Appointment
Questions? Please call or E-mail Us
Connect With Us:
Passport Health Canada on Facebook
Passport Health on Twitter
Passport Health on YouTube
Passport Health on Instagram
Passport Health on Linked In
Passport Health Feed

Passport Health is an Outlier business Passport Health es una empresa que pertenece al grupo Outlier Passport Health est une entreprise du groupe Outlier Copyright © 2023