Preparedness and Response for Chikungunya Virus: Introduction in the Americas

Abstract

[From the Preface]. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with the support of the Division of Vector-borne Diseases of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DVBD, CDC), created a working group and convened a meeting in Lima, Peru, on July 21−23, 2010, to discuss the threat this virus represents and to examine measures that might be taken to mitigate this threat (see Appendix I for additional details on the meeting). These preparedness guidelines are the result of this collaboration. These guidelines are intended to be adapted by each Member Country. They are designed to increase awareness about the threat and to provide the necessary tools to put in place the best possible strategies to prevent the importation of CHIKV into the Region, or to control it if introduced. These guidelines provide guidance on how to detect an outbreak of the disease, conduct pertinent epidemiological investigations, and prevent or mitigate the spread of the disease throughout the Region. We encourage everyone working to apply these guidelines to take into account all the knowledge available and their own country’s capability to cope with the introduction of CHIKV. Steps should be taken now to put in place the necessary measures that will decrease the impact that this new arbovirus could have in our Region.