Chikungunya in Europe

1 Rezza G, Nicoletti L, Angelini R, et al. Infection with Chikungunya virus in Italy: an outbreak in a temperate region. Lancet 2007; 370: 1840–46. 2 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Meeting report: consultation on Chikungunya risk assessment for Europe. Stockholm: ECDC, 2006. http://ecdc.europa. eu/documents/pdf/Final_chik_meeting_ report.pdf (accessed Jan 30, 2008). 3 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Mission report: Chikungunya in Italy. Stockholm: ECDC, 2007. http://ecdc.europa. eu/pdf/071030CHK_mission_ITA.pdf (accessed Jan 30, 2008). and Chikungunya fever in areas with A albopictus to prevent secondary transmission such as that which happened in Italy. Each physician is asked to report immediately to the health authorities any patient with symptoms compatible with Chikungunya or dengue fever, and to submit serum, for confi rmation, to the National Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses. Additionally, the presence and density of A albopictus are continuously monitored by ovitraps placed throughout the southeast of France to regularly update the areas where the risk of secondary transmission of both viruses is possible. In those areas, mosquitocontrol measures are implemented around the household of each suspect case, if entomological assessments are conclusive. The system is operational from May to November, when A albopictus is active. Between May and November, 2007, 39 suspect cases were reported (25 imported and 14 autochthonous). Eight imported cases were confi rmed, one for Chikungunya virus, seven for dengue. Mosquito control measures were taken around the residences of 12 suspect cases.