BACKGROUND: The Chikungunya virus  (CKV)  has been associated with chronic joint involvement in 14.4% to 87.2% of cases. Analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, and hydroxychloroquine are used successfully. These drugs may present side effects or may not work in some cases. Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has been studied in painful and inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis with good outcomes.

CASE REPORT: In this article, two cases of patients with chronic CKV who were treated with LDN were reported. Both patients had a chronic CKV course, one with chronic polyarthralgia and the second with polyarthritis, but refused glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive drugs. LDN was tried for at least three months, although no beneficial effect was observed during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: This article evaluated the effects of LDN in chronic CKV, and but no improvement in this condition was registered. Future studies, however, need to confirm the present data.