Rise in Dengue & Global Warming
Picture from Joao Paulo Burini/dorioconnell/Getty Images
Dengue is transmitted to humans via infected mosquitoes. These Aedes mosquitoes can also transmit Zika, chikungunya, and other serious diseases. Each year, up to 400 million people become infected with dengue, with 40,000 dying from severe cases.
A dengue fever outbreak is currently on the rise in North and South America, with about 2.1 million cases reported and 1,800 deaths attributable to the virus in the Americas. Climate change is to blame since temperature and precipitation have a significant impact on mosquito reproduction rates. Mosquitoes die in colder climates, and precipitation forms pools where mosquitoes can deposit their eggs. Due to increased mosquito activity and greater exposure to disease-carrying insects as a result of people spending more time outside, heat waves increase the risk of dengue transmission.
Infographic from PAHO
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that the majority of this disease is contracted while traveling (1,709 cases in 2023), while 1,206 cases were acquired locally. Global health professionals are worried about the rise in cases with the rise in global warming. The fact that Brazil has proclaimed a state of emergency should worry the U.S. In the first two months of 2024, 1 million cases of dengue have been reported in Brazil, where at least six states and the Federal District are experiencing this epidemic. Deaths attributable to this disease total to 214 in those same two months.
Albert Ko, a Yale University epidemiologist, stated that although there has not been a lot of transmission of dengue in the U.S., that could change. He notes that we have cause for concern that a significant epidemic season in Brazil and the rest of South America will facilitate the spread of the disease to other parts of the U.S.
In March 2024, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued a warning statement urging coordinated action. It called for increased efforts to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds and provide protection from mosquito bites, as well as improved health service preparedness for prompt diagnosis and clinical management. Additionally, it called for ongoing efforts to inform the public about dengue symptoms and when to seek medical attention.
In a recent press release, the CDC commented on the White House’s Government Global Health Security Strategy (GHSS) 2024. They noted that after years of dealing with COVID-19 and several other simultaneous health emergencies, such as dengue and other infectious diseases, health services are still overburdened. In addition to weakening health systems and losing health workers, these epidemics have stalled efforts to address other pressing issues, like HIV and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). But the task of reconstructing health systems also presents a chance to strengthen defenses against unforeseen crises.
A nationwide surveillance system called ArboNET is run by state health departments and the CDC. ArboNET gathers data regarding arboviral infections (infections caused by insects and other arthropods) in humans, birds, mosquitoes, and sentinel animals. Data from April 2024 shows that the number of “travel associated” cases in the U.S. totals to 1,032. (This accounts for people who traveled to a dengue-endemic location with an ongoing outbreak during the two weeks before symptom onset.). No further guidelines have been released specific to this epidemic, but continuous monitoring has been a vital step in tracking this disease. There are general mosquito control guidelines and resources available on the CDC website.
