Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that has been identified in more than 110 countries around the world. The virus typically causes flu-like symptoms, but it can also trigger chronic, severe joint pain in some people.
Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are working to understand how a viral infection can cause persistent joint pain that closely resembles rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease.
In a new study, LJI scientists share a critical first look at how the body’s T cells target CHIKV. Their research suggests CD4+ T cells step up to fight the virus — and cause chronic inflammation in the process. This discovery may help explain why some people infected with CHIKV develop severe joint pain.