Laboratory reports
Laboratory reports of cases of chikungunya virus, England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Data supplied by the HPA Special Pathogens Reference Unit for Novel and Dangerous Pathogens
| Year | Confirmed† cases | Probable‡/suspect§ cases | Total cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | - | 5 | 5 |
| 2000 | - | 5 | 5 |
| 2001 | - | 7 | 7 |
| 2002 | - | 5 | 5 |
| 2003 | - | 4 | 4 |
| 2004 | - | 4 | 4 |
| 2005 | - | 19 | 19 |
| 2006 | 42 | 64 | 106 |
| 2007 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| 2008 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
†Recent infection confirmed by PCR or virus isolation
‡Probable: clinical symptoms and serologically positive [both IgG and IgM].
§Suspect: clinical symptoms, relevant travel history and IgG positive
Other possible and past exposure cases are not included in these data.
The majority of chikungunya cases reported in England and Wales, where travel history is available (about 80%), are usually acquired in Africa or Asia. In 2006, there was a large outbreak of chikungunya in the islands of the Indian Ocean that affected travellers to this region in the first few months of the year; the majority of the cases reported in England and Wales during this period were acquired in Mauritius. From September 2006 into 2007, the majority of cases were acquired in India or Sri Lanka.
