A fatal case of encephalitis associated with Chikungunya virus infection.

An outbreak of Chikungunya fever occurred in north-east Italy in the summer of 2007. Only 1 fatal case was observed, in an 83-y-old male hospitalized with encephalitis. Viral genome was detected at high level (1.5 x 10(8) copies/ml) in the cerebrospinal fluid 7 d after symptoms onset.