Learn the symptoms and preventive steps

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an urgent warning to health care providers and the public to remain vigilant for cases of dengue fever as the global incidence of the disease has reached an all-time high this year.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease common in tropical and subtropical climates. There has been an unprecedented augment in dengue cases in many countries this year, with the number far exceeding the norm. The risk of dengue infection in the United States has also increased significantly, according to a Tuesday press release from the CDC.

“In 2024, countries in the Americas reported a record number of dengue cases, surpassing the highest number ever recorded in a single year. Between January 1 and June 24, 2024, countries in the Americas reported more than 9.7 million cases of dengue, twice as many as in all of 2023 (4.6 million cases),” the CDC said in Press Release.

In the United States, there have been approximately 745 cases of dengue among travelers since the beginning of the year. This augment highlights the need to augment awareness and implement preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus.

Recommended ways to prevent dengue include vector control and reducing the risk of mosquito bites. The CDC recommends “promoting mosquito bite prevention measures among people living or visiting areas with habitual or ongoing dengue transmission.”

Meanwhile, health care providers are advised to be particularly vigilant for dengue in patients with fever and who have recently traveled to regions where habitual or continuous transmission of dengue occurs. Additionally, they recommend considering locally acquired dengue in patients showing symptoms such as fever and other symptoms of dengue in areas where the responsible mosquitoes are known to transmit.

Typical symptoms Dengue symptoms include fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea, rash, abdominal pain or tenderness, persistent vomiting, muscle or joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes.

Most people recover within a week. However, some people may develop severe dengue, which can be life-threatening. In such cases, blood vessels become damaged and leaky, and the number of platelets in the bloodstream drops, leading to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and potentially death.

Stern symptoms of dengue include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums or nose, blood in the urine, stools or vomit, bruising under the skin, rapid breathing, fatigue, irritability or anxiety.

People with symptoms of dengue should undergo appropriate diagnostic tests, such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] and tests for IgM antibodies or non-structural proteins 1 [NS1] antigen tests and IgM antibody tests to confirm the diagnosis.

“There are no antiviral drugs approved for the treatment of dengue. Treatment is supportive and requires careful management of the number of patients. Appropriate triage, treatment, and follow-up remain the most effective interventions for reducing dengue morbidity and mortality,” the CDC said.