Chikungunya fever-What we know and have done in the face of a new global public health threat.

Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is an emerging global health threat caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), whose main symptoms include fever, rash and severe joint pain. The disease is characterized by acute febrile illness and chronic arthralgia, resulting in significant morbidity and economic burden, and posing a significant and growing global public health challenge. CHIKV has spread to over 119 countries, with recent outbreaks in the Americas and Asia. Two vaccines, VLA1553 (live-attenuated) and PXVX0317 (virus-like, particle-based), have been approved and have shown high immunogenicity, although their accessibility remains limited. Pathogenesis involves matrix remodeling-associated protein 8-mediated viral entry and immune dysregulation contributing to chronic arthritis. Traditional Chinese medicine approaches emphasize the removal of dampness and heat as well as the activation of collaterals, which have a potential adjunctive value in chronic phase management of CHIKF. Despite advances in vaccine development for CHIKF, challenges remain in terms of global coverage, research on chronic disease pathways and comprehensive treatment. Multidisciplinary collaboration will be needed to curb the public health impact of CHIKF in the future. Please cite this article as: Yu XL, Zhou RY, Xie XY, Zhang Y, Jia J. Chikungunya fever-What we know and have done in the face of a new global public health threat. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(5):634-644.