Molecular characterization of chikungunya virus from urbanized villages of Pune, Maharashtra, India, 2016

During the monsoon season (June-July) of 2016, there was a significant surge in suspected CHIKV and Dengue virus (DENV) fever cases in Pune city and the adjoining suburban areas of Maharashtra State, India. Both are RNA viruses and transmitted by the vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes3. Co-circulation of CHIKV and DENV in Southeast Asia including India has been reported4. Since, the first record of CHIKV in West Bengal, India, during 19635, many sporadic cases have occurred in Maharashtra. DENV cases were also reported in many States including Maharashtra during 2010-20166. Overall in Maharashtra, a higher seropositivity for DENV was noted in urbanized villages as compared to rural villages7. Although CHIK and DEN fever display overlapping clinical manifestation and transmitted by the same vectors with similar epidemiology and geographic distribution, scanty data are available on CHIKV characterization.

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