IntroductionThe chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a single-stranded, positive sense RNA virus that is a member of the genus Alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. The CHIKV is transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes (1). CHIKV infection led to more than 6 million confirmed cases worldwide (2). CHIKV has a wide geographic distribution including North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Africa since the virus was first described in Tanzania in 1952 (3,4). A female patient who came from India to Turkey with symptoms of fever, arthralgia, and rashes was the first case of laboratory-confirmed CHIKV infection in Turkey (5). Clinical symptoms of CHIKV infection include high fever, fatigue, backache, headache, and polyarthralgia. Polyarthralgia is the most characteristic and common symptom of infection and also the origin of the name of the disease "chikungunya, " a local term in the Makonde language that means "disease that bends up the joints". In addition to these clinical manifestations, tenosynovitis, swollen joints, macular or maculopapular skin rashes, myalgia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can be observed in CHIKV-infected patients (3,6). Differential diagnosis of CHIKV infection from dengue virus infection could be based on clinical manifestations and laboratory features. Fever (over 39 °C), arthritis, arthralgia, rash, and lymphopenia are more significant in a CHIKV infection. While hemoconcentration does not occur in CHIKV infection, it is present in 70%-100% of dengue virus-infected patients (2). Diagnosis of CHIKV infection is based on molecular detection of a viral genome and/or serological detection of virus-specific antibodies. RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR (7-9) can be used for molecular detection while serological diagnostic tests include ELISA, immunofluorescence assay, and rapid immunochromatographic test (10-13). The aim of this study was to screen for possible exposure to CHIKV infections in humans using ELISA and IIFT in the city of Kırıkkale, which is located in the central Anatolia region of Turkey. Materials and methods SamplesBlood samples were taken from 500 healthy, randomly selected volunteer blood donors who live in Kırıkkale (39°50ʹN; 33°31ʹE; altitude 700 m) through July-November Background/aim: The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne disease and has recently been causing explosive outbreaks. The CHIKV has spread throughout all continents. Although the first chikungunya case imported from India to Turkey was reported in 2012, there is no detailed epidemiologic study in Turkey yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of the CHIKV in Turkey.Materials and methods: ELISA was used to screen 500 random serum samples of healthy people collected from Kırıkkale, which is located in central Anatolia in Turkey. The results were verified by indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT). Results:The results showed that 0.4% samples were positive for CHIKV. In the verification study with IIFT, CHIKV IgG type antibodies were defi...