Follow up of Chikungunya virus: report of an imported case

Chikungunya fever is a viral infection transmitted by arthropods. It is a systemic disease characterized by these cardinal symptoms in the acute phase: polyarthralgia, back pain, headache and skin eruptions, which can sometimes be followed by subacute and chronic stages. Ophthalmological manifestations, such as uveitis, retinitis or conjunctivitis, may appear in any of these phases. Isolated photophobia has been described as a common manifestation in children.

A case of Chikungunya is presented in a three-year-old child who got infected and underwent the acute phase of the disease during a trip to the Dominican Republic, an epidemic environment. Weeks later, already back in Spain, and after an asymptomatic period, the child showed signs of photophobia, eye pain and ponderal stagnation. The diagnosis was confirmed through viral serology, which was positive for the Chikungunya virus. The main clinical manifestations of this infection will be described in this article, highlighting the ophthalmological symptoms as well as the most common ones in the pediatric age group.