Perret, CeciliaVizcaya, CeciliaWeitzel, ThomasRosas, ReinaldoDabanch, JeannetteMartínez, Constanza2022-05-132022-05-132018Perret Cecilia, Vizcaya Cecilia, Weitzel Thomas, Rosas Reinaldo, Dabanch Jeannette, Martínez Constanza. Chikungunya, enfermedad emergente en América Latina. Descripción de los primeros casos en Chile. Rev. chil. infectol. [Internet]. 2018 Ago [citado 2022 Mayo 13] ; 35( 4 ): 413-419. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-10182018000400413&lng=es. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/s0716-10182018000400413.http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/s0716-10182018000400413http://hdl.handle.net/11447/6095Background: Chikungunya (CHIK) was introduced in The Americas in 2013, spreading rapidly. In 2014, the first imported case was diagnosed in Chile. Aim: To identify patients with clinical suspicion of CHIK and describe their clinical and laboratory characteristics. Patients and Methods: Patients with suspected CHIK were enrolled. All were confirmed by PCR, IgM or IgG CHIK. A structured survey was applied, which included demographic questions, travel characteristics, clinical manifestations, and laboratory results. Results: 21 patients were enrolled and CHIK was confirmed in 16, who were further analyzed; 12 were female (75%), average age 39 years (27-52). The Caribbean and South Americawere the most frequent sites of exposure. In 63%, the initial symptom was arthralgia. Most frequent symptoms were myalgias, malaise (both 100%), fever, and polyarthralgia (both 94%). The median duration of arthralgias was 90 days (3-262); in 53% arthralgias lasted ≥ 3 months. Main joints involved were ankles, hands, and wrists; 87% reported invalidating pain. Arthritis lasted longer in men than in women (p < 0.001). 38% of patients presented lymphopenia and one patient mild thrombocytopenia. Two patients required hospitalization, one with severe headaches, the other with acute pyelonephritis. Conclusions: Chikungunya should be suspected in returning travelers presenting with fever and severe polyarthralgia. Travelers to endemic areas should apply prevention measures to avoid mosquito bites.esChikungunyaChileArtropatíaSerie clínicaMedicina del viajeroArtralgiaArthropathyClinical casesTravel medicineArthralgiaArticle