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To the Editor: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is a self-limiting illness characterized by fever, headache, weakness, rash, and arthralgia. Some patients have prolonged weakness or arthralgia lasting several months. In 2006, several Indian Ocean states and India had an outbreak of CHIKV infection (1, 2). During the epidemic’s peak, some European and American travelers returning from these areas were infected (3–6). Because the foci of Aedes albopictus, 1 of the 2 main vectors of CHIKV, are now in Italy and many travelers visit CHIKV-epidemic areas, surveillance for imported cases is mandatory in Italy (7). From July to September 2006, a total of 17 confirmed cases of CHIKV infection were observed in travelers at 5 Gruppo di Interesse e Studio delle Patologie di

Importazione (GISPI) centers (Italian network of Institutes of Infectious and Tropical Diseases). Serologic diagnosis was performed with a …