Clinical Updates
5 November 2009
Dengue activity – global update
Dengue occurs in many tropical areas including South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Africa, the Caribbean, South and Central America, northern Australia and the islands of the South Pacific. A map outlining potential risk areas for dengue can be found on the World Health Organization website.
This update reports on dengue activity in 2009; it is not a comprehensive listing of all outbreaks. Verified and some unverified outbreaks of dengue in individual countries are detailed on the NaTHNaC Outbreak Surveillance Database.
Africa
As of 28 October 2009, 3,367 cases of illness consistent with dengue have been reported in four islands of Cape Verde: Brava, Fogo, Maio, and São Tiago (Santiago) [1]. The first samples have been laboratory confirmed as dengue serotype 3. A programme of vector control has been established. This is the first reported epidemic of dengue to be reported in Cape Verde and the NaTHNaC Country Information Page has been updated accordingly.
Asia
Malaysia and Viet Nam continue to report the largest numbers of cases in the region. During the first 37 weeks of the year, Viet Nam reported 57,102 cases, and during the first 35 weeks of the year, Malaysia reported 30,110 cases [2].
Indian Ocean
As of 15 July, Mauritius reported 220 cases since June, with the majority occurring in Port Louis [3].
Indian subcontinent
As of 28 July, India reported 2,901 provisional cases [4]. The most affected area has been the southern Indian state of Kerala (920 cases).
As of 30 October, Sri Lanka had reported 28,623 cases [5]. The number of cases peaked in June (7,048) and has been declining since.
Central and South America and the Caribbean
Large numbers of dengue cases continue to be reported in many countries in the region, including the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Puerto Rico, and St Martin, and the Dominican Republic [6].
As of 17 September, Brazil has reported the largest number of cases in Latin America; during the first 26 weeks of the year, 387,158 clinical cases were reported [6]. Bolivia has reported 60,526 cases during the first 35 weeks of the year.
During the first 30 weeks of the year Mexico reported 54,449 cases. Large numbers of cases have also been reported from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras [6].
Western Pacific
An increase in dengue has occurred in northern Australia. To date, 1,306 cases have been reported, compared with 560 for the whole of 2008 [7]. The majority of cases (1,002) have occurred in Queensland.
As of 11 October 2009, French Polynesia had reported a total of 2,531 cases, but the number of new cases has been below 10 for the previous two weeks [8].
Advice for travellers
There is no vaccine available to protect against dengue. Travellers to endemic areas can reduce their risk of infection by the dengue virus by practising insect bite avoidance measures. Aedes mosquitoes responsible for transmitting dengue are active during daylight hours. Particular vigilance with bite avoidance should be taken around dawn and dusk.
The risk of dengue in individual countries can be found on the NaTHNaC Country Information Pages.
References
1. World Health Organization. Dengue fever in Cape Verde. 30 October 2009. [Accessed 5November 2009]. Available at: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_10_30a/en/index.html
2. World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Office (WPRO). Number of reported cases of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) in the Western Pacific Region, by country. Updated 18 September 2009. [Accessed 5November 2009]. Available at: http://www.wpro.who.int/internet/resources.ashx/MVP/Dengue
3. Institut de Vielle Sanitaire. Dengue – Chikungunya Océan Indien. 15 July 2009. [Accessed 5 November 2009]. (In French) Available at: http://www.invs.sante.fr/international/notes/dengue_chik_
4. Government of India. National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme. State-wise dengue cases and deaths in the country. 28 July 2009. [Accessed 5 November 2009]. Available at: http://www.nvbdcp.gov.in/Doc/den-update07.pdf
5. Epidemiology Unit Sri Lanka. Distribution of notified (H399) DF/DHF cases and deaths. 30 October 2009. [Accessed 5 November 2009]. Available at: http://www.epid.gov.lk/pdf/Dengue/Dhf%20cases%20(H399)
6. Pan American Health Organization. Number of reported cases of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in the Americas, by country: figures for 2009. Updated 17 September 2009. [Accessed 5 November 2009]. Available at: http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&task
7. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Number of notifications of dengue virus infection from State and Territory health authorities in the period of 1991 to 2008 and year-to-date notifications for 2009. 29 October 2009. [Accessed 5 November 2009]. Available at: http://www9.health.gov.au/cda/Source/Rpt_4.cfm
8. Tahiti Presse. Dengue fever epidemic decreasing in French Polynesia. 18 October 2009. [Accessed 5November 2009]. Available at: http://en.tahitipresse.pf/index.cfm?snav=see&presse=28161
Links
NaTHNaC Health Information Sheet on dengue
NaTHNaC Health Information Sheet on insect bite avoidance
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