Virus
Chikungunya virus
Aedes alphavirus, disabling arthralgia
chik-un-GUN-yuh VY-rus
High-yield clue
Aedes-transmitted Togaviridae alphavirus whose hallmark is severe, often prolonged polyarthralgia (bent-over posture).
Overview
A positive-sense single-stranded RNA alphavirus of the family Togaviridae spread by Aedes mosquitoes, studied as the arbovirus whose name means 'that which bends up' from severe joint pain.
Classification
- Togaviridae
- Genus Alphavirus
- Positive-sense ssRNA
- Enveloped
- Arbovirus
Lab & identification clues
- RNA detection and serology vocabulary
- Polyarthralgia study association
- Dengue co-circulation distinction concept
Associations
- Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus vector
- Severe symmetric polyarthralgia and arthritis vocabulary
- Fever with rash presentation vocabulary
- Tropical outbreak epidemiology
Commonly confused with
- Dengue virus
- Zika virus
Your notes
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.