Our patient presented motor sequelae predominantly in the lower limbs despite aggressive immunomodulatory therapy with plasma exchange, corticosteroid pulse and cyclophosphamide, suggesting CHIKV may be associated with high levels of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1b, interferon type I, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α), potentially enhancing the immune-mediated process in SLE. Here, TNF is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.