Let’s Discuss Chikungunya Vaccines.
Chikungunya vaccines are recommended in all travelers to countries with outbreaks of Chikungunya virus, and to only certain travelers to countries with transmission/presence of Chikungunya virus, but no outbreaks. It is also recommended for laboratory workers with potential exposure to the virus.
For countries at increased risk of Chinkungunya virus, but no current documented transmission, it is recommended that travelers avoid mosquito bites, and the vaccine is not recommended.
Whether or not you receive a vaccine, it is important to prevent mosquito bites in any country with incidents of Chikungunya virus.
The list of countries with outbreaks (and so the Chikungunya vaccine is recommended to all travelers to these countries) is below:
Currently: none.
For the countries that have Chikungunya virus, but do not currently have outbreaks, the Chinkungunya vaccine is recommended in the following groups:
1) Travelers aged 65 years or older (especially those with underlying medical conditions) who plan to spend at least 2 weeks (cumulative time) in indoor or outdoor areas where mosquitoes are present, and
2) People planning to stay in the country for a cumulative period of 6 months or more.
This is the list of countries that include this recommendation:
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Burma (Myanmar)
Cambodia
China
Colombia
Congo, Republic of the
Costa Rica
Ecuador, including the Galápagos Islands Ethiopia
Gambia, The
Guatemala
India
Indonesia
Jamaica
Kenya
Laos
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Mexico
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Réunion (France)
Saint Lucia
Suriname
Taiwan
Thailand
Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Uruguay
Venezuela
Vietnam
The countries at increased risk of Chinkungunya virus, for which the Chikungunya vaccine is not recommended at this time, but in which travelers should avoid mosquito bites are the following:
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Christmas Island (Australia)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia)
Comoros
Côte d’Ivoire
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Gabon
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Hong Kong (China)
Lesotho
Liberia
Macau (China)
Madagascar
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte (France)
Micronesia, Federated States of (Including Yap Islands, Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Kosrae)
Mozambique
Namibia
New Caledonia (France)
Niger
Palau
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania, including Zanzibar
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Chikungunya vaccines usually do require a prescription.
Contraindications to Chikungunya Vaccine
There are 2 type of vaccinations: Live-attenuated vaccine and Virus-like particle vaccine.
Live-attenuated vaccine
- Contraindications: altered immune status, history of severe allergic reaction to any component
- Precautions: pregnancy, breastfeeding, age 65 years and older
Virus-like particle vaccine
- Contraindications: history of severe allergic reaction to any component ● Precautions: altered immune status, pregnancy
