Chikungunya is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (predominantly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus).
The disease is typical of tropical and sub-tropical areas . Currently, it is endemic in India, Indonesia, Madagascar and in several African countries, but in recent times several cases have been reported in the Caribbean islands, in the Indian Ocean in La Réunion and in the United States, in Florida. In France, Italy, Germany, Norway and Switzerland, some cases of illness have also been reported in travelers from endemic areas.
The main reason for this diffusion is due to the now stable presence of tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) in temperate zones . Furthermore, in the case of chikungunya, these insects seem to behave as rather efficient transmission vectors .
