A new study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases reviews the epidemiology, seroprevalence, and circulation of the chikungunya virus in Southern Africa, particularly in countries of the SADC bloc. The systematic review included studies published between January 2012 and October 2015 and identified 20 papers with data from eight countries: Madagascar, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa, and Mauritius.
The results show that chikungunya is not an isolated event in the region. Its circulation has been confirmed in urban, rural, peri-urban, and coastal settings, with evidence of sustained transmission in some areas. Furthermore, the virus frequently appears in co-circulation contexts with other arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, West Nile virus, and Rift Valley fever, which complicates clinical diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance.
The clinical picture described is characterized primarily by acute fever and intense arthralgia, but the study also includes neurological complications and persistent musculoskeletal sequelae. Women of reproductive and working age appear to be one of the most affected groups, although the available data remain heterogeneous and difficult to compare between countries. One of the main conclusions of the study is that chikungunya is likely underdiagnosed in Southern Africa. Surveillance continues to rely heavily on serology, while molecular confirmation and sequencing are concentrated mainly in outbreak contexts. Furthermore, the detection of the virus in mosquitoes even in the absence of human cases confirms the importance of strengthening entomological surveillance.
The study underscores the need to move towards integrated surveillance systems that combine molecular diagnostics, seroepidemiology, vector surveillance, climate analysis, and a One Health approach. In a context of urbanization, human mobility, environmental changes, and the expansion of Aedes vectors, anticipating transmission will be key to improving regional preparedness against chikungunya and other emerging arboviruses.
At Global Risk Atlas, we continue to incorporate the latest scientific evidence to improve risk communication, epidemiological surveillance, and decision-making in global health and travel medicine.
