A recent study revealed that an extremely painful tropical disease called “chikungunya fever” is now transmitted by mosquitoes in most parts of Europe.

Due to rising temperatures resulting from the climate crisis, infection is possible for more than 6 months a year in Spain, Greece and other countries in southern Europe, and for 2 months a year in south-east England.

Global warming accelerates the spread of disease

Scientists have explained that continued global warming means it is only a matter of time before the disease spreads north.

This is the first study of its kind to fully evaluate the effect of temperature on the incubation period of the virus in the Asian tiger mosquito, which has invaded Europe in recent decades.

The study found that the minimum temperature at which infection can occur is 2.5 degrees Celsius lower than previous, less precise estimates, a “quite shocking” difference, according to the researchers.

The chikungunya virus was first discovered in 1952 in Tanzania and was confined to tropical regions, where millions of infections are recorded annually.

This disease causes acute and chronic joint pain, which greatly hinders life and may be fatal to young children and the elderly.

A few cases have been recorded in more than 10 European countries in recent years, but large-scale outbreaks, including hundreds of cases, hit France and Italy in 2025.

“The rate of global warming in Europe is almost twice the global rate, and the minimum temperature required for the virus to spread is critical, so our new estimates are quite shocking,” says Sandeep Tigar, from the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) and lead author of the study. “It is only a matter of time before the disease spreads northward.”

Hundreds of cases

For his part, Dr. Stephen White, from the UK Center for Ecology and Health (UKCEH), says: “Twenty years ago, if you had said that we would see chikungunya and dengue fever in Europe, everyone would have thought you were crazy: these are tropical diseases. But now everything has changed. It is due to these invasive mosquitoes and climate change – it is as simple as that. We are seeing rapid change, and that is what is worrying. Until last year, France recorded about 30 cases of the fever.” “Chikungunya over the past 10 years and last year, the number of cases exceeded 800.”

The virus is transmitted by travelers from French overseas territories in the tropics, where the disease has spread, including Reunion Island.

The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), which bites by day, is moving north across Europe as temperatures rise.

It has been spotted in the United Kingdom, but is not yet established.

Expensive vaccines are available for chikungunya fever, but the best prevention is to avoid mosquito bites.

In this context, Dr. Diana Rojas Alvarez, head of the World Health Organization team concerned with viruses transmitted through insect and tick bites, says: “This study is important because it indicates that transmission of infection in about 29 countries, including in Europe, may become more evident over time.” She adds that chikungunya fever can be devastating, with up to 40% of those infected still suffering from arthritis or very severe pain 5 years later.

Precautionary measures

“Climate has a big impact on this, but Europe still has a chance to control the spread of this mosquito,” she explains.

Community awareness and removing standing water in which mosquitoes breed is an important tool, while wearing long, light-colored clothing and using insect repellent can help prevent bites.

When a mosquito bites an infected person, the chikungunya virus enters his or her intestines. After an incubation period, the virus becomes present in the mosquito’s saliva, which means it is able to infect another person it bites. But if the incubation period is longer than the mosquito’s lifespan, the virus will not spread.