I-CHIKV itheleleka kubantu ngokulunywa omiyane bohlobo lwe-Aedes, okuphinde kube yibo abathintekayo ekusakazeni udenga, zika kanye ne-yellow fever. Omiyane ababili bomndeni Aedes bayakwazi ukudlulisa igciwane leZika, Aedes aegypti ezindaweni ezishisayo noma ezishisayo, kanye Aedes albopictus (umiyane “wengwe”) ezindaweni ezipholile.

Umiyane (okuwukulunywa kowesifazane kuphela) uthola igciwane ngokuluma umuntu noma isilwane esinaleli gciwane bese ukwazi ukudlulisela leli gciwane ngokuluma omunye umuntu. Labo Aedes zisebenza kakhulu ekuqaleni nasekupheleni kosuku.

Igciwane le-CHIKV, lapho lijovwa ngamathe omiyane endodeni noma kowesifazane, lisakazekela egazini nama-lymph nodes, bese lifinyelela ezithweni ezithile, ikakhulukazi isimiso sezinzwa namalunga.

Umuntu otheleleke nge-chikungunya akatheleleki ngokuqondile komunye umuntu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma iphinde yalunywa umiyane kanje Aedes, lidlulisela igciwane kuye, futhi lomiyane ungabe usudlulisela lesi sifo komunye umuntu.

Ukudluliswa kwegciwane le-chikungunya ngokumpontshelwa igazi noma ukufakelwa isitho somzimba kungenzeka, yingakho izinyathelo zokuphepha ezithathwe ukuze zingafaki abantu abanalesi sifo ekunikeleni ngegazi. Igciwane lingadlulela futhi lisuka kumama liye enganeni ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa noma lapho ebeletha.