The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert on Tuesday advising well being care suppliers and public well being authorities about an elevated danger of dengue fever infections within the U.S.
The viral illness, which spreads via mosquito bites, has affected at the very least 2,241 individuals within the nation this 12 months, according to the CDC.
The best variety of instances on the continental U.S. have been recorded in Florida, New York and Massachusetts. However the crux of U.S. instances has been recorded in Puerto Rico, the place practically 1,500 instances have been reported in 2024. (U.S. vacationers additionally reported a excessive variety of infections at 745 instances.) The U.S. territory issued their very own public well being emergency this March, whereas the World Well being Group (WHO) issued an emergency associated to the virus final December.
The unfold of the illness has been exacerbated by more and more moist and heat summer season months introduced ahead by El Niño. Consultants say that the local weather is good for mosquitoes that may carry the virus to breed and proceed to unfold dengue.
Dengue impacts about 400 million people yearly. Right here’s what to know in regards to the virus.
What’s dengue?
Dengue is a viral illness extra generally skilled in tropical and subtropical climates, according to WHO. There are 4 totally different virus varieties.
Contaminated Aedes species mosquitoes can unfold the illness to people. Many contaminated individuals have mild or no symptoms, although others can expertise aches, pains, nausea, rashes, and vomiting. Excessive fever can also be indicative of dengue. WHO says signs normally begin about 4-10 days after an infection, whereas the CDC factors to a broader timeframe: inside two weeks of being bitten by a mosquito.
Signs usually clear in a couple of week, the CDC says.
Dengue is just deadly in extreme instances, which may bring symptoms like extreme stomach ache, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums or nostril, fatigue, bloody stools, pale and chilly pores and skin, and extra.
How you can forestall dengue an infection
Within the U.S., the vast majority of the instances occurred in vacationers who went to areas with danger of dengue. However as a result of the mosquitoes that unfold the illness reside throughout the nation, “native unfold of dengue is feasible,” the CDC says.
As a result of dengue is transmitted via pesky, flying bugs, one of the best ways to forestall catching the illness is to keep away from mosquito bites. That may be finished by carrying insect repellent, or opting to put on free, long-sleeved garments.
Dengue outbreaks happen every two to five years. Individuals ought to be particularly cautious about catching the virus if they’re planning to journey to Latin America, which has seen a record-breaking variety of instances up to now, per the CDC.
Is there a approach to deal with dengue?
Most medical doctors deal with signs of dengue via prescribing acetaminophen, or asking sufferers to remain hydrated. However there is no such thing as a particular remedy to bypass the illness.
There’s a dengue vaccine for youngsters aged 9 to sixteen if they’ve affirmation of a earlier an infection, or reside in an space the place dengue is frequent. Vaccines are beneficial for U.S. territories, per the CDC.
Beneath the brand new advisory, medical doctors are suggested to pay attention to the elevated chance of dengue amongst sufferers, and to contemplate issuing dengue checks if obligatory.
Is dengue fever frequent within the U.S.?
The CDC lists freely related states and 6 U.S. territories as areas with “frequent or steady dengue transmission,” together with Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
There have been 197 instances reported in Florida, adopted by 134 in New York, and 50 in Massachusetts. Infections in these states have been small or sporadic, per the CDC’s alert. Virus transmission has additionally been reported in Arizona and California within the final two years.
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