Chikungunya virus seroprevalence among febrile patients in selected health facilities in Mount Elgon region, Kenya

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BACKGROUND: Chikungunya is an emerging vector-borne disease of global significance, known for causing acute illness characterized by fever and severe arthralgia, which can evolve to chronic arthritis and rheumatism especially in elderly patients. While febrile illness and arthralgia are common clinical presentations among residents of Mount Elgon (Mt. Elgon), the role of chikungunya virus as a causative agent is undocumented. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of antibodies against Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) antigens in patients presenting with acute febrile illnesses (AFI) in Mt. Elgon region, Kenya. METHODS: This cross-sectional seroprevalence study involved febrile patients visiting selected health facilities in the region. Serum samples were collected and screened for 1gG + IgM + IgA antibodies using an indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Positive samples were further analyzed using standard plaque reduction neutralization assay (PRNT) on Vero (Biken) E6 cell cultures for confirmation of presence of neutralizing antibodies against CHIKV. RESULTS: ELISA results indicated that 317/1359 (23.33%) serum samples were positive for CHIKV antibodies. Of these, 305 samples (96.21%) were subjected to PRNT, 127 samples (9.3%) tested positive for CHIKV neutralizing antibodies. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate active circulation of CHIKV in Mt. Elgon region. This underscores the need for enhanced surveillance and monitoring strategies to mitigate the risk of potential outbreaks in the future.

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