Chikungunya in New York
November 1, 2025 2 minutes read
By Stan Deresinski, MD, FACP, FIDSA
On Aug. 21, 2025, a 60-year-old woman living in Nassau County on Long Island became ill with symptoms that were marked by severe joint pain involving her feet, ankles, knees, wrists, hands, and shoulders.1,2 A preliminary test was consistent with chikungunya infection, and the result was confirmed weeks later by a state public health laboratory (that has not yet confirmed that they were referring to the same individual).3
The patient denied having recently traveled outside of Long Island and, thus, the infection is believed to have been locally acquired. While several cases of chikungunya have been reported in New York in 2025, all were associated with travel. The state’s public health department indicates that this is the first autochthonous case of chikungunya ever reported in New York state, and none have been reported in the U.S. states and territories since 2019. Aedes albopictus, a vector of chikungunya virus, is known to be present in New York state, but to date routine mosquito testing has not identified any infected with the virus.
Routine mosquito testing conducted by the department’s Wadsworth Center and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has not detected chikungunya virus in any New York mosquito samples to date.
Currently, there are ongoing outbreaks of chikungunya in multiple countries, with perhaps the largest in Guangdong Province, China. Nonetheless, the New York case is a surprise and may raise ongoing concern. Fortunately, the warm weather loved by mosquitoes is largely over.
Stan Deresinski, MD, FACP, FIDSA, is Clinical Professor of Medicine, Stanford University.
References
1. Goldstein J. Mosquito-borne illness rarely seen in U.S. is suspected on Long Island. The New York Times. Sept. 25, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/nyregion/chikungunya-mosquito-illness-long-island.html
2. Goldstein J. New York confirms state’s first locally acquired case of chikungunya. The New York Times. Oct. 14, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/nyregion/chikungunya-first-case-long-island.html
3. New York State Department of Health. New York State Department of Health confirms first locally acquired case of chikungunya in New York state. Oct. 14, 2025. https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2025/2025-10-14_chikungunya
On Aug. 21, 2025, a 60-year-old woman living in Nassau County on Long Island became ill with symptoms that were marked by severe joint pain involving her feet, ankles, knees, wrists, hands, and shoulders.
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