Cellular and molecular mechanisms of chikungunya pathogenesis

Abstract

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus that causes chikungunya fever, a disease characterized by the onset of fever and rashes, with arthralgia as its hallmark symptom. CHIKV has re-emerged over the past decade, causing numerous outbreaks around the world. Since late 2013, CHIKV has reached the shores of the Americas, causing more than a million cases of infection. Despite concentrated efforts to understand the pathogenesis of the disease, further outbreaks remain a threat. This review highlights important findings regarding CHIKV-associated immunopathogenesis and offers important insights into future directions. This article forms part of a symposium in Antiviral Research on "Chikungunya discovers the New World."

Keywords: Chikungunya virus; Immune response; Immunopathogenesis; Pathology.