0
0
The global impact of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus may be far worse than previously recognized, with health and financial costs from 2011 to 2020 potentially reaching a staggering US$ 50 billion, according to a comprehensive study published in BMJ Global Health. The research underscores the extensive and often debilitating consequences of this emerging infectious disease, which is spreading rapidly due to the increased reach of its mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
Chikungunya, first identified in Tanzania in 1952, has become a major public health concern in recent decades, driven by globalization, urbanization, and environmental changes. The disease, typically marked by fever, severe joint pain, rash, and fatigue, often results in long-term health complications such as chronic arthritis, persistent fatigue, and depression.
Despite these severe impacts, the true prevalence of chikungunya infections is likely underreported due to factors such as misdiagnosis, inadequate diagnostic infrastructure, and limited access to healthcare. This has made it difficult to fully gauge the virus’s toll on both public health and the economy.
To shed light on these underappreciated impacts, researchers analyzed data from multiple global health sources, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local health ministries. The study used advanced modeling techniques to estimate that between 2011 and 2020, approximately 18.7 million cases of chikungunya occurred worldwide, once underreporting was accounted for. Notably, an estimated 7.9 million people developed chronic conditions as a result of the infection.
Latin America and the Caribbean bore the brunt of these cases, with nearly 15 million infections, and countries like Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and French Polynesia seeing the highest numbers of affected individuals. The study also reveals that the disease led to roughly 13,000 deaths globally, with the highest number of deaths occurring during major outbreaks in 2014.
The economic consequences of chikungunya are also considerable. Researchers estimate that the disease cost a total of US$ 49.9 billion from 2011 to 2020. Chronic disease accounted for US$ 25.1 billion, while acute illness contributed US$ 24.8 billion. The vast majority of these costs—94%—were indirect, driven primarily by workplace absenteeism due to illness. Direct medical costs, including diagnostics, hospitalizations, and medications, amounted to just 6% of the total financial burden.
The most significant health and financial impacts were observed in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the rapid spread of the virus since its introduction in 2013 has placed a heavy burden on these regions’ health systems. Brazil, in particular, accounted for 17% of the global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) related to chikungunya, reflecting the widespread and long-term health consequences in the country.
The researchers stress that while this study provides crucial insights into the global burden of chikungunya, the quality and availability of data varied significantly across regions, which could affect the precision of the estimates. Furthermore, the study’s scope only reflects a snapshot of the disease’s toll during a specific period, and may not fully capture the long-term trends.
Nonetheless, the findings highlight the urgent need for improved surveillance, better healthcare infrastructure, and more comprehensive strategies to manage and prevent chikungunya outbreaks. Given its potential for explosive outbreaks and long-lasting health effects, the study calls for a more robust understanding of the disease’s impact on both public health and economies worldwide.
For more information, the full study, The global health and economic burden of chikungunya from 2011 to 2020: a model-driven analysis on the impact of an emerging vector-borne disease, is published in BMJ Global Health.
— BMJ Global Health, 2024. DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016648
