We report partial molecular characterization of isolates from an autochthonous chikungunya virus cluster in Latium Region. E1 sequences from 3 patients differ substantially from sequences from the 2007 outbreak in Italy and lack the A226V substitution associated with increased viral fitness in the Aedes albopictus mosquito vector.
Keywords: A226V; CHIKV; Italy; Latium region; chikungunya virus; molecular characterization; viruses.