If you’re travelling to an area where Chikungunya is a risk, we can assess your itinerary and (if appropriate) offer chikungunya vaccination with IXCHIQ® alongside practical mosquito bite-avoidance advice.
Chikungunya is a viral infection spread mainly by Aedes mosquitoes, which typically bite during the day (often around sunrise and dusk).
It commonly causes sudden fever and severe joint pain, and for some people joint symptoms can last much longer.
Chikungunya is most often seen in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of Asia, Africa, Latin American & Carribean, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands. It can also appear closer to home: Aedes mosquitoes are present in parts of mainland Europe (including areas of France, Italy and Spain), and small outbreaks have occurred in Europe when conditions allow.
Outbreaks change quickly. We use up-to-date travel health guidance in your consultation and assess risk based on your travels.
— Fever (often abrupt onset)
— Severe joint pain (arthralgia)
— Muscle aches (myalgia)
— Headache
— Rash
— Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Acute symptoms often improve within 1–2 weeks, but recovery can vary.
For some people, joint problems can persist or relapse for months to years, sometimes affecting daily activities.
This may include ongoing polyarthralgia / polyarthritis or inflammation around tendons (tenosynovitis).
Higher risk of severe outcomes is noted in groups such as older adults and some people with underlying medical conditions.
IXCHIQ® is a single-dose, live attenuated chikungunya vaccine.
It’s given as one injection (0.5 mL) into the upper arm (deltoid).
UK travel vaccine advice states IXCHIQ® may be offered to immunocompetent individuals aged 18 to 59 when vaccination is indicated following risk assessment.
JCVI advises chikungunya vaccination may be considered for:
— travellers to regions with active outbreaks
— long-term or frequent travellers to regions with transmission in the past 5 years
— certain laboratory staff working with chikungunya virus
Because IXCHIQ® is a live vaccine, it is contraindicated in people with immunodeficiency or immunosuppression (due to disease or medical therapy).
There has also been MHRA safety action and JCVI precautionary advice relating to older age groups (including not offering IXCHIQ® routinely to adults aged 60+, and temporary suspension for 65+ while safety review information is considered).
Live vaccines are not routinely given in pregnancy; we’ll discuss options and risks in your appointment.
A: Not everyone does. We assess your destination(s), season, length of stay and activities, plus your medical history. Vaccination is usually considered when there’s meaningful exposure risk (e.g., outbreak areas, long stays, frequent travel, lots of daytime outdoor exposure).
A: Most vaccine side effects are mild and short-lived. Commonly reported effects include injection-site pain/tenderness, headache, tiredness, muscle aches, joint pain, and sometimes fever.
As with any vaccine, serious allergic reactions are rare—we monitor you after vaccination and advise what to do if you feel unwell later.
A: Following UK travel vaccine guidance, IXCHIQ® may be offered to immunocompetent adults aged 18–59 when clinically indicated after risk assessment.
Because it’s a live vaccine, it’s not suitable for people who are immunosuppressed/immunodeficient. We’ll check your medicines and conditions during your appointment.