Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
10:35
Vector Competence Analyses on Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes using Zika Virus
Published on: May 31, 2020
3.7K
Chikungunya: Evolutionary history and recent epidemic spread.
Scott C Weaver1, Naomi L Forrester2
1Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, United States; Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, United States; Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, United States; Global Virus Network, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Antiviral Research
|May 17, 2015
Summary
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has spread globally, causing millions of cases of chronic joint pain. This review examines CHIKV
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has a history of emerging from sylvatic foci in Sub-Saharan Africa into urban transmission cycles.
- Since 2004, CHIKV reemergence has led to millions of cases of severe, debilitating arthralgia across five continents.
- The virus spread to the Americas in 2013, highlighting its global public health significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the history of Chikungunya virus emergence and spread using phylogenetic studies.
- To discuss the probable future spread and disease burden of CHIKV in the Americas.
- To analyze mutations in the Indian Ocean Lineage enabling urban transmission by Aedes albopictus and compare CHIKV with other arboviruses.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of Chikungunya virus strains.
- Review of historical emergence and spread data.
- Comparative analysis of CHIKV with other arboviruses.
Main Results:
- CHIKV has a documented history of urban transmission cycles originating from African sylvatic foci.
- Mutations in the Indian Ocean Lineage have facilitated adaptation for transmission by the Aedes albopictus mosquito.
- The virus has caused millions of cases of arthralgia globally since 2004.
Conclusions:
- CHIKV poses a significant and evolving threat, particularly with its recent emergence in the Americas.
- Understanding viral evolution and transmission dynamics is crucial for predicting and managing future outbreaks.
- The adaptation of CHIKV for urban mosquito vectors underscores the need for continued surveillance and research into antiviral strategies.
Related Concept Videos
00:36Viral Mutations
40.9K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
40.9K
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
43
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
43
00:57Viral Recombination
25.8K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
25.8K
02:31Synteny and Evolution
4.0K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
4.0K
02:33Retroviruses
16.0K
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
16.0K
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
67
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable...
67