EMA has recommended granting a marketing authorisation in the European Union (EU) for Ixchiq, the first vaccine in the EU to protect adults 18 years and older against Chikungunya. It is given as a single dose.
Chikungunya (also called CHIK fever) is a viral disease caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a virus transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes (primarily Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus).
Most people infected with CHIKV develop symptoms within 3–7 days. The most common symptoms of acute disease are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms can include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Most patients recover within a week, but some develop joint pain for several months or longer, which can be disabling. A small proportion of patients may develop severe acute disease, which can lead to multiorgan failure and is most often observed in newborns exposed to the virus during childbirth and adults over 65 years old. There is no licensed treatment for Chikungunya…
