After 2 years of a pandemic in which traveling was barely possible, tropical diseases are becoming important once more.
Dengue virus
The Dengue virus (DENV) is a major public health problem in the tropics and subtropics and is endemic in the US territories of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.1
As Americans begin to travel and the United States welcomes global visitors, pediatric providers must consider who may be exposed to 1 of the 4 known DENVs and the presenting symptoms (Table1,2). Source: https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/dengue-virus-measles-tbi-and-tb-disease-are-they-being-overlooked-because-of-the-pandemic
DENV is most often transmitted to a human through the bite of an infected mosquito (Aedes aegypti). The incubation period is 3 to 14 days before symptom onset. Infected individuals can transmit DENV to mosquitoes 1 to 2 days before symptoms develop and during the 7-day viral illness. Id.
At this year's conference for internal medicine specialists, tropical medicine specialist Fritz Holst, MD, of the Center for Tropical and Travel Medicine in Marburg, Germany, explained what questions one should be thinking about when traveling and how to proceed with a suspected case of what could be Dengue fever. Source: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/974364
Dr. Debra Maria Catulong, Mandaue City Health Office (MCHO) medical officer, said on Thursday, June 2, 2022, that reactivating the barangays’ dengue brigades will help stabilize the dengue cases in the city. Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sunstar.com.ph/ampArticle/1930918
For example, Mandaue had 261 dengue cases with two deaths from January 1 to May 21, 2022, compared to the 37 cases with zero deaths recorded in the same period in 2021.
If you’re planning a tropical vacation this summer be very careful, to avoid mosquito bites while you’re out. DC Mosquito Defense can certainly protect your house and property in the states but you should take precautions to protect yourself when you travel.