CDC Investigating Hospitalizations Among People 65 Years and Older Following Vaccination with IXCHIQ (Chikungunya Vaccine)
This message is being sent to Tribal health directors, local health officers, local health department nurses, local health department staff, VFA providers, Wisconsin vaccinators, the Wisconsin Travel Health Network, and the immunization program.
CDC has received five reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) of hospitalizations for cardiac (atrial flutter) or neurologic (meningitis) events following vaccination with IXCHIQ (live attenuated chikungunya vaccine) among people 65 years of age and older.
Many of the patients had significant underlying medical conditions. VAERS is an early warning system for potential vaccine safety issues and CDC is reviewing the available information to investigate these cases further. Findings from the investigations will be reviewed during an upcoming Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. More information will be released as it becomes available.
Information for health care providers
- Discuss the risks and benefits of IXCHIQ with your patients based on each traveler’s age, destination, trip duration, planned activities, and pregnancy status.
- Review the latest CDC Travel Health Notices and be aware of countries and territories with outbreaks or evidence of chikungunya virus transmission among people within the last 5 years.
- Refer to the information in the Adverse Reactions section of the IXCHIQ package insert for additional safety information, including potential chikungunya-like adverse reactions.
- Report any adverse event following IXCHIQ vaccination to VAERS.
About VAERS
VAERS is designed to detect rare or previously unreported adverse events after vaccination that can be evaluated more thoroughly by other systems. VAERS is effective in its intended role; however, as a spontaneous surveillance system, VAERS has several limitations, and generally cannot determine if an adverse event was caused by the vaccine. For more information, visit: About VAERS | CDC. Increased reporting of adverse events can also occur when a vaccine is recently introduced into the market.
About chikungunya
Chikungunya virus infection can cause significant illness with fever and joint pain, which can be severe and disabling. Chikungunya is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is not endemic (continually present) in the continental United States, but outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There is a risk the virus can spread to unaffected areas by infected travelers. Travelers can take steps to protect themselves from chikungunya by preventing mosquito bites.
ACIP currently recommends IXCHIQ (live attenuated chikungunya vaccine) for some adults aged 18 years and older, specifically travelers visiting areas experiencing a chikungunya outbreak and laboratory workers who might be exposed to the virus while they work. Vaccination should be considered for certain other travelers based on factors including their destination and duration of travel, age, underlying medical conditions, and planned activities. Other prevention measures for chikungunya include wearing long sleeves and pants, using effective mosquito repellant, and staying in lodging with window screens.
Please contact the travel health program with any questions at dhsbcdtravelhealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
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