Chikungunya: global epidemiology, clinical spectrum, and vector control-lessons for China from the 2025 Guangdong...

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne virus that has spread from Africa to Asia and the Americas, posing a growing global threat to public health. In China, following the first imported case in 2008 and subsequent local outbreaks, the largest nationwide epidemic occurred in 2025 with nearly 9,000 confirmed cases. Clinically, CHIKV infection is characterized by high fever, rash, and severe arthralgia, often leading to long-term joint pain and reduced quality of life. The virus is primarily transmitted by Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, with transmission dynamics influenced by climate variability, rainfall patterns, and human mobility. As no licensed vaccine or specific antiviral therapy is currently available, this review summarizes recent advances in CHIKV epidemiology, pathogenesis, and prevention, emphasizing its potential public health threat and offering scientific insights to guide future surveillance and control efforts.