Chikungunya Virus: What a Transfusion Service Needs to Know

Togaviridae represents a candidate family for emerging public health emergencies of international concern. Among them, chikungunya virus (CHKIV) has caused recurrent epidemics in the temperate zone of most continents and represents a threat to the safety of blood supplies. The global expansion of vectors (i.e., Aedes mosquitoes) and increasing international travel have contributed to the growing epidemiological importance of this pathogen. In fact, CHIKV has been reported in more than 110 countries across the following four continents: Africa, Asia, Americas, and Europe. Consequently, public health authorities have emphasized the importance of surveillance, vector control programs, outbreak preparedness, and blood safety measures. The aim of this review was to summarize the current knowledge of CHIKV considering virology, molecular epidemiology, transmission mechanisms, clinical features, preventive strategies, and blood safety implications, with particular attention to issues relevant to transfusion services.