Vector‐borne infectious diseases have been emerging or resurging due to socio‐demographic changes, and to genetic mutataons in the pathogens. The changing disease pattern, and adaptation of viruses from different mosquito vectors are important new features that impact public health. Indeed, the spread of the Aedes mosquito in temperate countries introduces a new risk of epidemics in countries where the entire population is immunologically naive. Chikungunya and Zika fever have re‐emerged as an important human arboviral infection, causing severe morbidity with extensive incapacitation in naïve populations. Importantly, the exact nature of the protective immune defense and the pathogenic mechanisms of debilitating arthralgia and arthritis upon virus infection are still poorly known. Studies have found that the interplay between the levels of viral load, interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs), TLRs, and the induction of neutralizing antibodies, could mediate efficient viral clearance and protect against severe diseases. Host: Prof Zhang Su‐Chun Programme Director, Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Duke‐NUS Medical School