I've been teaching on study days about Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) as far back as the early 2000s, but with so many topics to cover in our travel consultations, it was more a session to make practitioners aware of the disease at that time. However in more recent years, the disease has spread significantly and is now a major global health problem. There is excellent information about CHICKV on TravelHealthPro from NaTHNaC which you can study to ensure you're fully aware of the disease.
In 2025, in the UK, we have had two vaccines licensed by the MHRA as follows:
- IXCHIQ® (marketing authorisation holder Valneva) is a single-dose live attenuated vaccine. Licensed in February 2025 for individuals aged 18 years and over
- Vimkunya® (marketing authorisation holder Bavarian Nordic) is a non-replicating virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine. Licensed in May 2025 for individuals aged 12 years and over
Global vaccine safety concerns emerged
Since the launch of IXCHIQ a safety signal was identified of serious adverse events in older peoples and global authorities (e.g. the FDA in the USA, and the EMA in the EU) put restrictions on the use of this vaccine, while reviews were being undertaken. For Europe this suspension was lifted on use of the vaccine in 65 year olds upwards, but the review committee (the EMA's safety committee called Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee - PRAC ) then recommended vaccine to be used only when there is a significant chikungunya risk and after careful consideration of the benefits and risks - see here.
UK vaccine guidance
In the UK, the MHRA issued a statement on 18th June 2025 announcing a temporary suspension of IXCHIQ vaccine in people aged 65 years or older. Then on 16th July, the JCVI posted advice on the UKHSA website on use of the vaccine in UK travellers. NaTHNaC also posted a very comprehensive Chikungunya vaccination information update on all these developments, posted on the same day (posting illustrated above). In this posting they announced guidance will be drafted for the UK Health Security Agency 'green book' Immunisation against infectious disease and that health professionals offering these vaccines must ensure they are adequately informed on their use. They also said UK Health Security Agency and NaTHNaC have been reviewing chikungunya epidemiology and will be finalising recommendations for individual countries in the coming weeks. This information will be published on TravelHealthPro Country Information pages when it has been agreed.
IF YOU WORK IN A GP SURGERY,
I expect not many will be offering this private travel vaccine, but you still need to be aware of the details and refer your traveller on appropriately to a private travel clinic.
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AT PRESENT?
1. Be aware of any risk of CHIKV at a destination by looking under 'OTHER RISKS' on the TravelHealthPro country information pages and then look under the specifics on 'Biting insects or ticks'. It would also be a good idea to look at the Outbreak Surveillance page and do a search on the disease until the risk areas have been included as mentioned above. If there is a risk you need to make your traveller aware of this and also signpost them to further information to read.
2. Remember to advise your traveller about insect bite prevention in all circumstances and this is not only important for CHIKV of course, but other disease e.g. yellow fever, malaria, dengue, JE etc.
3. Follow the current guidance for use of the vaccines as listed on TravelHealthPro based on the JCVI guidance until the Green Book is published. This would include considering chikungunya vaccine for
- those travelling to regions with active CHIKV outbreaks
- long term or frequent travellers to regions with CHIKV transmission in the past 5 years
- laboratory staff working with CHIKV
When vaccination is considered to be indicated, be aware at the current time JCVI advises:
- Vimkunya® vaccine may be offered to individuals aged 12 years old and over
- IXCHIQ® vaccine may be offered to immunocompetent individuals aged 18 to 59 years old. JCVI also advises that the IXCHIQ® vaccine should not be offered to individuals with a history of thymus disorder or thymectomy.
4. Look out for future updates on publication of the Green Book chapter for chikungunya and also the country specific receommendations on TravelHealthPro.
