Epidemic traced to sole mutation in mosquito virus December 11, 2007 Associated Content, Dec. 7, 2007 Scientists from the UTMB have reported their discovery of the reason behind a mysterious epidemic on the island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. An outbreak in 2005 and 2006 resulted in the first deaths from a virus called chikungunya, a mosquito born virus that mutated and became lethal. (Similar articles have appeared widely.) « Back | The Newsroom »