June 26, 2024 – A doubtlessly lethal mosquito-borne sickness typically known as “breakbone fever” is reaching file ranges this yr throughout widespread journey locations worldwide.
Formally often called dengue fever, the CDC issued an alert Tuesday to well being care suppliers in regards to the virus that causes the sickness, urging them to be looking out for what could merely look like a fever and different run-of-the-mill signs like nausea and muscle aches.
Diagnosing dengue fever is vital as a result of some folks with it would get extreme problems like organ failure and blood vessel harm that may trigger bleeding beneath the pores and skin and from the gums of the mouth.
Already this yr, 745 U.S. vacationers have been identified with dengue fever, in keeping with the CDC. By way of the primary half of this yr, the variety of circumstances recorded in nations within the Americas has surpassed 9.7 million, which is double the case depend for all of 2023, the CDC alert said. The virus has contaminated about 1,500 folks within the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, prompting officers there to declare a public well being emergency.
U.S. states with a current historical past of dengue fever circumstances or small outbreaks embody Florida, Hawaii, Texas, Arizona, and California. The typical variety of annual circumstances within the U.S. was 626 from 2010 to 2017, in keeping with the latest knowledge abstract from the CDC. Throughout that point interval, 18 folks died.
The best threat is amongst folks touring to locations the place dengue is extra widespread, significantly nations from Mexico and the Caribbean and persevering with downward by way of South America, in addition to in components of Africa and Asia. In additional than 100 nations, the virus is taken into account endemic, which means it’s all the time circulating. Will increase in dengue fever are blamed on local weather change, urbanization, and motion of populations, the World Well being Group says.
Individuals visiting nations the place dengue fever is widespread ought to attempt to stop mosquito bites by sporting clothes that covers the pores and skin and making use of insect repellent to any uncovered pores and skin. When additionally utilizing sunscreen, apply insect repellent after making use of sunscreen. Clothes and kit may also be handled with an insecticide known as permethrin.
The CDC suggested well being care suppliers to suspect dengue fever and take a look at for it in folks with a fever who, throughout the previous 2 weeks, have visited a spot the place the virus is widespread. Not everybody who will get the virus can have signs. Of the roughly 1 in 4 individuals who do have signs, these sometimes seem 5 to 7 days after an infection and embody a fever plus nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle aches, joint ache, or a headache.
Whereas testing can diagnose if somebody has the virus, there aren’t any particular remedies, and as a substitute signs are managed by way of supportive care corresponding to acetaminophen to scale back fever and fluids to forestall dehydration.