Is it necessary for residents of Switzerland to concern themselves about the chikungunya virus?
In the face of a rising global threat, strategies for preventing and treating Chikungunya virus infections are evolving.
Prevention measures primarily focus on mosquito control, with health authorities recommending the use of insecticide-treated window screens, bed nets, mosquito nets, and mosquito repellents. Environmental management to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, particularly stagnant water in containers like flowerpots and bottles, is crucial in controlling the Aedes mosquito population that transmits the virus. Innovative mosquito control methods include releasing natural predators such as mosquito-eating fish or 'elephant mosquitoes', and using drones to spot and eliminate breeding hotspots.
Regarding treatment, there is currently no specific antiviral therapy for Chikungunya; management is primarily symptomatic, involving pain relief and hydration. However, some individuals experience prolonged joint pain lasting months or years. The World Health Organization (WHO) has published clinical guidelines to help healthcare providers manage arboviral diseases, including chikungunya, to prevent severe outcomes.
Concerning vaccines, the Ixchiq live attenuated vaccine for Chikungunya was paused in 2025 due to safety concerns about serious adverse events in older adults. Following a reassessment, the pause was lifted with updated prescribing information, and vaccination is now approved broadly for adults 18 and older. Continuous post-market safety monitoring remains a priority.
Climate change has notably affected the global spread of Chikungunya virus. Rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns have expanded the geographical habitat of Aedes mosquitoes from tropical and subtropical zones into new regions, increasing the risk of outbreaks worldwide. Urbanization and global travel contribute further to the spread. For example, China's 2025 outbreak was exacerbated by a conducive warm, humid climate alongside dense urban populations, intensified by these climate-induced environmental changes.
In summary, a comprehensive approach combining vector control, patient care, vaccination strategies, and attention to climatic factors is essential to managing the ongoing and future threat of Chikungunya virus infections worldwide.
Mosquito-borne transmission of the disease has been reported in mainland Europe on six occasions, all in Italy and France. The WHO is sounding the alarm early to help countries prepare in time. More tropical mosquitoes are reaching Europe and Switzerland via transport links due to global trade, travel, and climate change, increasing the risk of diseases like chikungunya becoming endemic in Central Europe. These mosquitoes also spread the dengue and Zika viruses.
The best protection against chikungunya is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, which can be achieved through the use of insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved tops and trousers, and reducing mosquito breeding grounds. The number of dengue fever cases, another tropical disease transmitted by the tiger mosquito, has increased in Switzerland in recent years.
The largest outbreak was in Italy in 2007 with 334 suspected and probable cases. There is no person-to-person transmission of the chikungunya virus, but there are reports of the virus being passed on during pregnancy. Other possible symptoms include muscle pain, joint swelling, and a rash. The joint pain caused by chikungunya can be very severe and may last for months or even years, although most people recover within a week. In many cases, an infection causes no or only very mild symptoms.
The disease is spreading particularly in Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, and South Asia. When symptoms do occur, they typically manifest as a sudden rise in high fever, severe joint pain, and headaches. Chikungunya has been detected in 119 countries worldwide, putting 5.6 billion people at risk.
The Swiss government has been monitoring the mosquito since 2013. There have been 30 chikungunya infections among travellers returning to Switzerland this year, slightly more than double the number in the same period last year. The chikungunya virus is mainly transmitted by the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, and the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus.
There has been a case of chikungunya virus transmission near the Swiss border, around 100 kilometers from Basel, in Lipsheim near Strasbourg. The name "chikungunya" roughly translates as "that which bends up" or "that which contorts" in Makonde, a language spoken by the Bantu people in southeastern Tanzania. Symptoms usually appear seven to nine days (in rare cases three to 12 days) after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The mosquito becomes a carrier of the virus when it bites a person carrying the pathogen.
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