Dengue: What You Need to Know

Dengue: What You Need to Know

By Andrea McKinney

What is Dengue?

Dengue is a viral disease spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. It is sometimes called “breakbone fever” because of the intense muscle and joint pain it can cause. Dengue is common in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Dengue was once common in Florida, with outbreaks occurring regularly during the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, intensive mosquito control efforts in the 1940s eradicated dengue from the state.

Today, most cases in Florida are travel-associated (people become infected while traveling and then return home). Occasionally, local mosquitoes can pick up the virus from an infected person and transmit it to someone else. These are called locally acquired cases.

Dengue is not spread directly from person to person.

How Does Dengue Spread?

In Florida, dengue is spread primarily from the bite of the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes differ from many of the mosquitoes associated with Florida’s wetlands and large areas of standing water.

These mosquitoes prefer to bite during the daytime, especially early morning and late afternoon. They live close to people, and females lay their eggs in and around small containers of standing water around homes (buckets, wheelbarrows, clogged gutters, pet water bowls, bird baths, etc.).

When a mosquito bites a person who has dengue virus in their blood, that mosquito can become infected. After the virus develops inside the mosquito, it can transmit the virus to another person through a future bite.

What is Locally Acquired Dengue?

You may hear health officials describe a dengue case as either travel-associated or locally acquired. A travel-associated case occurs when someone who is travelling to an area where dengue virus is circulating gets bitten by an infected mosquito, then later becomes ill after returning home. A locally acquired case means the person had no recent travel to an area with dengue virus transmission and was most likely infected by a mosquito in the local area.

What are the Symptoms of Dengue?

About one in four people infected with dengue develop symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they typically begin 4 to 10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. The most common symptom is fever, which may occur along with:

• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Intense muscle and joint pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Rash
• Fatigue

Most people recover within 1-2 weeks. However, it is possible to become infected with dengue virus more than once. A second infection with dengue virus carries a greater risk of developing severe dengue, a potentially life-threatening form of the disease that can cause dengue hemorrhagic fever. Severe dengue is uncommon in the United States but requires prompt medical attention. If you develop any of these symptoms, especially after travel or if you know of local transmission in an area you visited, contact your healthcare provider and mention possible mosquito exposure. There is no specific treatment for dengue virus.

Dengue Prevention is a Community Effort

The Collier Mosquito Control District monitors and manages mosquito populations throughout the community, but Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes present a unique challenge because much of their habitat is found in small containers on private property.

To help target these mosquitoes before they become biting adults, residents may see District larvicide trucks traveling through residential neighborhoods and applying an organic microbial larvicide. These treatments target mosquito larvae developing in small containers and other cryptic habitats that can be difficult to locate and eliminate individually.

However, mosquito control is most effective when we work together. That’s why residents are an important part of dengue prevention. At least once a week, walk around your home and look carefully for anything holding water. Empty water from containers and scrub or rinse them when appropriate. Turn unused containers upside down or store them somewhere they cannot collect rain.

Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

Another important part of prevention of dengue is preventing mosquito bites.

Unlike some mosquitoes that are most noticeable around dusk or nighttime, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are daytime biters. However, they can bite at other times as well.

To reduce your risk:

• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent.
• Wear loose-fitting long sleeves and long pants when reasonable.
• Use screens on windows and doors and repair holes or damage.
• Remove mosquito habitats around your home.

The Collier Mosquito Control District continues to monitor our local mosquito populations for dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases weekly. If you have any questions, please call our office at (239) 436-1000. For more information about dengue, visit cdc.gov/dengue.